Eyes On Isles
Fansided

Islanders defy narrative by eliminating Bruins: Three takeaways

ByMichel Anderson|
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - JUNE 09: The New York Islanders celebrate an empty net goal by Cal Clutterbuck #15 of the New York Islanders against the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Nassau Coliseum on June 09, 2021 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Bruins 6-2 to move on to the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - JUNE 09: The New York Islanders celebrate an empty net goal by Cal Clutterbuck #15 of the New York Islanders against the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Nassau Coliseum on June 09, 2021 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Bruins 6-2 to move on to the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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A fan holds a sign alluding to comments by head coach Bruce Cassidy following game five of the series between the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
A fan holds a sign alluding to comments by head coach Bruce Cassidy following game five of the series between the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Three takeaways: How the New York Islanders defied the narrative and eliminated the Boston Bruins in six games.

It took six games for the New York Islanders to eliminate the Boston Bruins. With three wins in a row, the Islanders powered their way from a 2-1 series deficit to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And remember this was a series win that was far from expected.

Going into the series the Bruins were the heavy favorite. According to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, the Bruins had a 26% chance of winning this series in five games. The Isles best chance was to push the series to seven games. And even then they had an 8% of taking the series in seven.

But here we are with the New York Islanders moving on to the second round and the Boston Bruins shipping up to Boston to find, not a wooden leg, but what to do next with an old core and little reinforcements.

So how did the Islanders do it? How did they beat the Bruins when they only had a 20% chance of winning the series? It comes down to these three factors.

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