As the Islanders faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins to commence Game 1 of round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, all eyes were on the Islanders. There were a lot of question marks surrounding this Islanders team. Although, the Islanders were red-hot in the middle of the NHL season, as the season started to wind down, the Islanders cooled off. And, as the Islanders struggles continued as the season finished, there was questions arising as to which Islanders’ team would show up come playoff time.

There is no question that the Islanders struggled at times throughout Game 1. The first two periods were rough for the Islanders. They were outshot, outworked, out-battled, beat to loose pucks, could not sustain any offensive zone pressure and surprisingly looked slower than the Penguins.

Entering Game 1 of the 2021 NHL Playoffs, Islanders star Mathew Barzal had recorded 24 points in 30 NHL playoff games. However, Barzal was unusually quiet in Game 1 against Pittsburgh.

Barzal did not register his first shot of the game until late in the third period. Although Barzal’s overall game is not dependent on him shooting the puck, as it is more dependent on him creating time and space with the puck and his overall playmaking abilities, Barzal is the Islanders’ best player and he still needs to shoot the puck for the Islanders to have success. Barzal was not the only Islanders’ player to have a quiet game.

The Islanders’ second line of Anthony Beauvillier, Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey at times struggled. These players need the puck on their stick for them to be effective. Pittsburgh’s speed and physicality really put a stranglehold on this line, barely allowing them to get any oxygen.

The crucial factor for the Islanders’ win in Game 1 in Pittsburgh was the Jean Gabriel Pageau, Oliver Wahlstrom and Kyle Palmeri line. The line combined for six points in Game 1 and was arguably the best line on the ice. Palmeri had two goals, including the game-winner in overtime. Pageau had one goal and two assists. Wahlstrom, in his first career playoff game, had one assist.

Can these three replicate their Game 1 performance as the series concludes? Only time will tell.

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.