If you didn't tune in after the 24th minute of Game 2 between the New York Islanders and the Carolina Hurricanes, you missed the biggest and most unique comeback in Stanley Cup Playoff history.
The Islanders took a commanding 3-0 lead four minutes into the second period, but it wasn't enough to stop the Hurricanes' five-goal comeback, and the home team scored an unanswered lead 13 minutes into the second frame. He scored 4 goals. in the third and final period.
Former NHL player and current TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette called the Islanders' “best of all time'' moments before Hurricanes forward Jake Guenzel scored his fifth and final goal of the game in an empty New York net. He commented on the collapse, calling it “pathetic.''
“This is a full-blown meltdown right now.” Bissonnette said in a video posted to X on April 23.. “Three points in the third period.
“Islanders… I guess you guys are too.” [2-0] In this (expletive) series. He was 3-0 in this game…” Bissonnette continued, “Oh my god.”
Islanders win 3-0 in the first half, but collapse in the second half against the Hurricanes
Knowing how Game 2 ended and looking at the final stats, the 5-3 result is not surprising. Unless you know the order of the goals and the order in which they are scored, many people will not be shocked by the result.
The Islanders lost to the Hurricanes 39-12. Carolina won 41 of 28 faceoffs, gave them five power-play opportunities to New York's one, and attacked the Islanders on offensive attempts, allowing them 36 shots overall for the game. Blocked it.
“We're going to make the most of the two days,” Islanders forward Anders Lee told reporters after the April 22 loss. Please let me drink more juice.
“This is never going to end. But for now, this is hurting my gut.”
The Islanders won 3-0 with goals from Kyle Palmieri, Bo Horvat and Lee. The first two arrived in the first period, followed by the third already in the second frame on a power-play chance.
But then everything went wrong for the Isles.
“Man, Guentzel's goal was empty,” Bissonnette said in the video he shared, adding the cherry on top of Carolina's impressive comeback. “Islanders Hockey. Oh my god, it's humorous.
“That's hockey humor at its best.”
Islanders couldn't stop Hurricanes' furious comeback
The Hurricanes (111 points, 52-23-7) entered the playoffs in second place among Eastern Conference teams behind their Metropolitan Division rival, the New York Rangers. The Islanders, on the other hand, barely made the playoffs with the second-fewest points (94) of the teams that qualified.
The difference in standings was as large as the distance between the two teams on the ice Monday, when the Canes played a shaky 24 minutes.
Down three points, Carolina slowly but surely started to turn things around in the final seconds of the second frame, with Teuvo Teravainen scoring on a power play chance at 13:01. Seth Jarvis scored the Canes' second goal at 10:43 of the third, and Carolina made history with its next two goals.
Carolina took the lead with two goals scored in nine seconds by Sebastian Aho and Jordan Martinook, making them the “fastest two playoff goals in Hurricanes history.” According to NHL.com's Tom Gritty.
Tension inside PNC Arena rose as Guentzel scored an empty-net goal with 55 seconds left in the game, and the frustrated Islanders attempted to fight the Hurricanes on the ice before the end of the game.
New York veteran Kyle Palmiere shoved Guentzel and the situation could have escalated quickly, but the referees properly controlled the situation and no significant violence occurred after that minor disturbance. There wasn't.
The Hurricanes won the game but lost to Brett Pesce.
The Hurricanes are in prime position to immediately send the Islanders on vacation after winning Monday and building a 2-0 lead in their first-round series against New York.
That being said, when Carolina arrives in New York for Game 3, they may not be able to use any of their defensemen, making things a little more difficult going forward.
Second-pair right-shot defenseman Brad Pesce left Game 2 with an undisclosed lower-body injury and did not return to the ice. As of this writing, early Tuesday morning, April 23, there is no information on when Pesce was injured or any updates on his status.
“He's not feeling great,” Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour told reporters after the game. From Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal.
Pesce played in 70 regular season games leading up to the playoffs, scoring three goals and dishing out 10 assists, averaging 20 minutes and 17 minutes of playing time. He finished the year with 113 blocked shots and 25 hits.
In Carolina's Game 1 win over New York, Pesce recorded a TOI of 19 minutes, 49 seconds while assisting on Martin Necas' goal. The Hurricanes won that game 3-1, leading the series 1-0 and are now 2-0 heading into Game 3, scheduled for Thursday, April 25th.
