Islanders avoid being swept, win after 2OTs
NEW YORK — Mathew Barzal scored his second goal of the game on a deflection 1:24 into the second overtime and the New York Islanders beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 4 on Saturday to avoid a sweep in their firstround playoff series.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored and Semyon Varlamov stopped 42 shots — including 18 in the overtimes — to help the Islanders stave off elimination.
Seth Jarvis and Stefan Noesen scored and Frederik Andersen finished with 33 saves for Carolina, which is seeking to advance to the second round for the fifth time in six years.
“Our mindset was really good,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “Guys were determined to find a way to fight to win this hockey game . ... It was a team effort. It was about our D played a strong game and we were very good defensively, we were very good offensively.”
Varlamov stopped a shot by Jordan Staal in the opening minute of the second overtime.
The Islanders’ Robert Bortuzzo then fired a shot from the point that deflected in off Barzal’s stick for the win.
“A great shot by Bobby to just find a lane and throw it in an area where there’s some bodies,” Barzal said. “And a lucky bounce.”
Bortuzzo said he knew the puck went in when he heard the crowd erupt.
“You didn’t hear anything and then you hear the roar,” he said.
“I have not been part of a moment like this. It’s a moment I will remember.”
It was the Islanders’ first overtime goal in the playoffs since Anthony Beauvillier in Game 6 of 2021 Eastern Conference finals against Tampa Bay in the final game at the Nassau Coliseum.
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
LIGHTNING 6, PANTHERS 3
TAMPA, Fla. — Steven Stamkos scored his fourth and fifth goals of the series and Tampa Bay avoided elimination with a victory over Florida in Game 4 of the firstround playoff matchup.
Game 5 is Monday night at Florida. Only four times in 206 tries has an NHL team rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
“The odds aren’t great being down 3-zip,” Stamkos said. “Three-one, they’re a little better. And hopefully next game it’s 3-2 and then they become a little better. That’s how we’re taking it.”
Stamkos opened the scoring during the Lightning’s three-goal first period and helped ease Florida’s sustained pressure during the opening half of the third period with his goal at 9:34 that gave Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead. Nicholas Paul added a goal during a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 3:38 to go.
Brandon Hagel had two goals and an assist, and Brayden Point added a goal and two assists for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves, with Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman both getting three assists.