Recap: Canes Eliminate Islanders With Game 5 Victory

RALEIGH, NC. - The Carolina Hurricanes closed out a 4-1 series win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday, taking Game 5 by a final score of 6-3.

A Hot Start & A Kuzy Crawl...

Returning to action after a two-day gap since Game 4, the Canes came ready to go with some noticeable jump.

On the game's very first shot, Teuvo Teravainen got his team started with a goal we hadn't yet seen in this series. Semyon Varlamov, making a fourth start in five games for the Isles, just missed an oncoming puck.

It was a routine-looking shot from the blocker side wall, yet the New York netminder just muffed his attempt to keep it out and just 83 seconds in Carolina had the advantage.

1:50 later it was 2-0.

On the power play, a streaking Andrei Svechnikov was in search of a middle lane-driving Sebastian Aho but instead caught the blade of Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo. The puck changed directions off of his tape and got behind Varlamov, giving the Canes some early insurance.

However, as we've seen several times in the series, the trailing team pushed back.

The Islanders got a power play goal of their own 41 seconds later, keeping them within striking distance.

A fast and furious start, it took only 3:54 for the game's first three goals, but things settled down from there. Kind of.

As Andersen and Varlamov both got their footing more under them, amid another push for Carolina, play was whistled dead after an Islander closed his hand on the puck in the crease. Awarding the Canes a penalty shot, Evgeny Kuznetsov went to his patented crawl.

Getting New York's backstop to bite on a poke check, Varlamov missed and Carolina's trade deadline acquisition extended his team's lead back to two.

New York's Response...

Although the Canes had a two-goal edge and a 21-4 advantage in shots after 20 minutes, it didn't really feel as though the Islanders were out of it.

In the second period, they proved they weren't.

Carolina had noticeably less oomph to their game in the middle frame and the Islanders made them pay, tying it up before the third.

Getting their first goal in the early stages, Brock Nelson struck on the rush and pulled his team back within one.

Then, in the final minute of the frame, Andersen lost an edge in his crease and spilled down.  The puck went to Casey Cizikas in the slot and all he had to do was hit the open cage.

Completely wiping away all of Carolina's previously built momentum, it was 3-3 going to the third.

Don't Blink...

Anyone's game going to the final frame of regulation, for the second time this series the Canes displayed an ability to strike twice in quick succession.

Taking their lead back after a Brady Skjei shot attempt ricocheted off of an Islanders defender and right to Jack Drury, Stefan Noesen followed it up just eight seconds later.

Stunning the Islanders, Skjei took the following faceoff and sent it deep into New York's end.  Taking a fortuitous hop off the stanchion, it left a loose puck right atop Varlamov's crease, with the netminder already back behind the net.

Rendering him helpless, Noesen swooped in and tapped home the insurance, putting Carolina ahead 5-3.

All that stood between that and the final horn was a Seth Jarvis empty netter, closing out the scoring.

They Said It...

Rod Brind'Amour after the final horn of the series...

"It was tight.  In playoffs, it's one play here or there that always seems to make a difference in the games.  Tonight, we were the fortunate ones to get that bounce.  I thought the start of the game was great.  It really at least got us a nice lead.  They had their push.  You've got to give them a lot of credit.  They just kept coming.  We had to play really well to win this series."

Seth Jarvis on the team coming back in the third after having their lead wiped away during the second period...

"We knew we kind of let off the gas.  We let them crawl back into it in the second.  You never want to do that, especially a team like that who can score and just the momentum it gives them.  We have so many good veterans who kept us calm.  We never really got flustered.  They made sure we knew what was at stake.  We came out in the third and executed."

Brady Skjei describing the emotions during Kuznetsov's penalty shot...

"We all thought he was going to score.  We've seen that move against us in the past.  He does an amazing job of waiting the goalie out.  Once he went for the poke check he slid right by him.  That was a huge goal in a big moment in the game."

Brind'Amour looking ahead to the series against the Rangers...

"The Rangers were the best team in the league, right?  We know what they're all about.  (They have) immense talent and they're coached really well.  And they have good goaltending.  What don't they have?  We know it's going to be a tough matchup, but it would be (against) anyone.  You're down to the final eight or whatever, they're all going to be tough."

What's Next?

The Canes are likely to be off on Wednesday. The NHL will release a Round 2 schedule at a later date.

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