New York Islanders Get Must Win in Carolina (Highlights)

The New York Islanders would get off to a quick offensive start and never look back in their win against the Hurricanes on Thursday.

Jaroslav Halak was back in net for the New York Islanders, making his fourth straight start. The team would also have to do a bit of scoreboard watching Thursday with both Ottawa and Toronto in action.

The Isles would get on the board early, setting an immediate tone in a must win game. Brock Nelson brought the puck in front of the net and it hit off a few Hurricanes defenders and beat Eddie Lack.

It certainly wasn’t a pretty goal, but I didn’t see anyone complaining! It was the second straight game Nelson found himself with a goal.

After a text-book penalty kill they would keep the momentum going. The Isles would transition from the penalty kill into a shooting gallery on lack.

Anders Lee would throw a shot from the point stopped by Lack, but Scott Mayfield was in front to throw in the rebound. The Isles scored twice in the first five minutes and led the Hurricanes 2-0.

The roles are normally reversed for those two. I couldn’t tell you why Mayfield was in front of the net, but the Islanders were flying.

The Islanders would fall asleep a tad on the defensive end by Halak was strong again in the first. With two minutes to play in the period Viktor Rask would catch Nelson with a high stick and take a double minor.

The Isles 28^th ranked power play couldn’t score in the first half of the power play. It was clear the Islanders missed both John Tavares and Ryan Strome. They took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

The Islanders would start the second the same way they started the first, with a goal. 41 seconds into the period Andrew Ladd came down the wing and beat Lack with a wrist shot to put the Isles up three.

It was the 22^nd goal in 76 games for Ladd, who continues to be very good in the second half. Not only did it add more separation, but it was certainly a nice boost for a struggling power play.

The offense was the story for the Islanders early in this one, but Halak was quietly playing very well on the other end. The defense and penalty kill wasn’t too shabby either.

The Isles took their 3-0 lead into the second intermission.

It was evident throughout the third that the Isles fate would be decided by the two others games. It was an extremely conservative third as the Islanders cruised to their fourth straight victory.

It was the first shutout for Halak since returning to the Islanders.

Next: Isles costly mistake will not be calling up Pulock.

The Isles would have to spend the rest of the night scoreboard watching to see if they were still alive. If either Ottawa loses in regulation or Toronto loses at all, the Isles will go into Saturday’s game in New Jersey with a chance to crack that last wild card spot.