from Ethan Sears of the New York Post,
The Islanders, so nearly, returned to New York with home-ice advantage and momentum in the series.
Instead, they got on a plane back to Long Island searching for answers after a gut-punch 4-3 overtime loss featuring a blown third-period lead, a pair of uncharacteristic goals let in by Ilya Sorokin and a Jesper Fast game-winner packed with controversy, with what seemed to be a Jordan Martinook high stick on Scott Mayfield that went uncalled in the lead-up to the goal.
The first playoff game at UBS Arena on Friday night is now an absolute must-win for the Islanders, who need to find an answer for Carolina’s speed advantage and ensure that this loss is not the backbreaker to their season.
“We just gotta find a way to score that extra goal,” Noah Dobson said. “We had lots of opportunities. It didn’t pan out for us tonight. Just gotta get ready for Game 3, regroup.”
It looked as though the Islanders would leave PNC Arena with a win after Brock Nelson gave them their first lead of the series 9:18 into the third period, burying a wrist shot off the rush.
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