Islanders: Winning Game 3 boils down to these 3 keys

Game 3 between the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins goes down tonight at the Nassau Coliseum, what do the Isles need to do to win?

The New York Islanders opening-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins shifts from the PPG Paints Arena to the Nassau Coliseum. With the series tied 1-1, this could be a huge opportunity for the Islanders to come out ahead before going back to Pittsburgh.

I know a number of fans weren’t too pleased with the Isles effort in Game 2, but truthfully, there was a lot to like in that loss. If they can apply most of what they did on Tuesday they could find themselves up 2-1 in this series with another home game to play.

So what do they need to do today in order to get a W?

Play to Your Strengths

In Game 2, the Penguins came out of the gates flying and pushed the Islanders around for the opening minutes. It totally pushed the Islanders off their game plan and into an area that favored the Penguins.

Playing a run-and-gun game isn’t how the Islanders win hockey games. They play a slower more punishing style of containment hockey. When Pittsburgh pushed the pace on Tuesday, the Islanders couldn’t compete.

Tonight, the Islanders have to come out hard, keep the Penguins in their end thanks to some relentless forechecking and force them to play a long game. From there, the Isles should have an easier time containing the Penguins’ speed and pick off some of their risker plays.