New York Islanders Five Keys To Win Series vs Carolina Hurricanes

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UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – APRIL 12: Josh Bailey #12 of the New York Islanders celebrates his insurance goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on April 12, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Penguins 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

The Carolina Hurricanes will have tired legs after their first-round series against the Washington Capitals. The hard-fought series went the full seven games before it was decided.

Game seven was perhaps the hardest for Hurricanes. Not only was game seven just two days ago, but it went past regulation and into double overtime. The tie wasn’t settled until the 11:05 mark of double-OT thanks to Brock McGinn.

That’s 91 minutes of all-out hockey two days before they’re due back out on the ice again. Say what you will about advancements in the strength and conditioning of modern athletes, but a game like that is taxing and the Hurricanes will feel it.

The Islanders, however, have been figuratively sitting and waiting for the Hurricanes for the last ten days after sweeping the Penguins in four games.

The Hurricanes will likely come out of the gates flying to open the series. They’ll try to bury the game before it starts so they don’t have to climb out of a hole later in the game when their energy levels will be shot.

The Islanders have to weather the storm so to speak. They don’t have to sit back and soak up the pressure, but they can’t get shell-shocked by the Hurricanes.

There’s no doubt that Barry Trotz will have worked the players hard during their extended break, but there’s still going to be some game time rust to work out. The Islanders need to dictate the pace of the game from the onset as the 90+ minutes of hockey the Hurricanes have played in the last two days catches up to them.