The New York Islander fans have to be pleased with how the team is playing going into the playoffs. Despite the injury of Matthew Barzal, the team has managed to remain resilient and competitive. When star player Bo Horvat experienced a bit of a slump, other players stepped up to make a difference. Each game brought with it a new hero; one night, it was Brock Nelson, and the next night it was Hudson Fasching.
I have two players in particular who have truly impressed me this season. The first is the ageless wanderer Zach Parise. How many of you said he would score 21 goals this season? Raise your hand. Those who raised their hands are either the greatest liars or have astounding foresight. Personally, I never thought that Zach could post such an impressive tally.
Considering the rash of injuries that have plagued the Hurricanes, I figured the Islanders had a pretty good chance of winning this series. They have a huge advantage in the goal with Sorokin. Granted, the Hurricanes' defense is probably one of the best in the NHL, but with three of their players sidelined, Carolina may struggle to keep up with New York's offense.
So what do the Islanders have to do to win this series? The first thing that comes to my mind is the Islanders must continue to enforce physical play. The key to the Hurricane's success is having their defense lead the offense into the offensive zone. Disrupting the Canes defense will lead them to panic, causing giveaways. Hitting everything in sight is also a good strategy. When players anticipate getting hit, they will get rid of the puck faster, which causes more defensive giveaways.
The last thing on my list is that the leaders must put up or shut up. I am talking about Barzal, Horvat, Nelson, and finally, Lee. They have to step up their game and produce these last two games. For the powerplay to work, they must score! Who knew? Obviously the New York Islanders haven't figured that out. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. It is not pleasant, but it's the truth.
Randy.
