Raleigh, NC——The Carolina Hurricanes sealed the deal on their home ice against the New York Islanders, clinching their first-round NHL playoff series in five games with a 6-3 victory.
Jack Drury broke the deadlock early in the third period with his first career postseason goal, swiftly maneuvering the puck past Jean-Gabriel Pageau and firing it past Semyon Varlamov at 4:36. Moments later, Stefan Noesen capitalized on a fortuitous rebound off the boards, extending Carolina’s lead to 5-3 just 8 seconds later.
Despite relinquishing a double-overtime loss over the weekend and squandering two two-goal leads, the Hurricanes displayed resilience and determination to secure the series win. Their reward is a matchup against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the second round.
“They just kept coming,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We had to play really well to win this series.”
Carolina’s initial surge in the series saw them take a commanding 3-0 lead before the Islanders fought back, reminiscent of last year’s playoff encounter between the two teams. However, this time, the Hurricanes maintained composure and executed effectively in the crucial moments, ultimately prevailing to become the first team in six straight postseasons to win at least one playoff series since Detroit achieved the feat from 1995-2000.
The game witnessed some unpredictable twists, including Noesen’s unconventional goal and Casey Cizikas’ last-second tally for the Islanders. Despite facing adversity, Carolina remained composed, aided by the guidance of experienced veterans, and sealed the victory with an empty-net goal from Seth Jarvis.
While the Islanders’ late surge in the second period posed a challenge, Carolina’s resolve proved unshakeable as they weathered the storm and emerged triumphant. However, the victory was not without casualties, as defenseman Tony DeAngelo exited the game late with an upper-body injury, further adding to Carolina’s postseason challenges.
Despite the Islanders’ resilience, their efforts fell short, leaving them to contemplate what could have been. Head coach Patrick Roy expressed a sense of emptiness, believing his team deserved better results given their performance throughout the series.
In the end, the Hurricanes’ depth and determination propelled them to victory, setting the stage for an intriguing showdown in the next round of the playoffs.
