By AIDAN JENSEN
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In a potential first round series-clinching Game 5, a 3-2 home loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night in front of the “Loudest House in the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes largely looked little like the team who overcame their road demons in last Sunday’s win.
Sebastian Aho scored on a one-timer with nine minutes to go in the third period, giving the Canes (3-2) some life by closing their deficit to one goal, but Isles (2-3) goalie Ilya Sorokin didn’t allow another scoring tally from there and finished his night with 34 saves.
This was a game highlighted by uncharacteristic mistakes, including one that led to New York’s third and final goal.
After a couple scoring chances to start the night, including a one-timer slapshot nearly nine minutes in, the Islanders struck first on Carolina’s first mistake.
A minute later, New York changed lines after a dump into the Canes’ zone. Carolina defenseman Brent Burns attempted to clear the puck against a fastly-approaching Pierre Engvall, only for Isles center Brock Nelson to intercept the clearance. Nelson passed the puck back to Engvall, who skated just outside the crease and sent it through Raanta’s legs for a 1-0 lead.
Burns actually had a solid chance shortly after on a deke, but Sorokin made a beautiful diving save.
It appeared the Canes would tie the game on a powerplay late in the period, thanks to a Sebastian Aho-Stefan Noesen sequence.
Aho passed the puck to Noesen, who stood behind the net. Noesen found Aho in the circle, then skated behind the net to just outside the crease. Aho slipped the puck through three Islander defenders to a waiting Noesen, who barely beat Sorokin to even the score.
There was just one issue. A challenge revealed Carolina was offside on the zone entry, allowing New York to cling to a 1-0 lead.
Things weren’t much better in the second period.
The Isles extended their lead to 2-0 on a scare, when Aho went down due to being hit in the face with a puck. After the puck bounced off Aho, Brock Nelson batted the puck out of mid-air and past Raanta’s glove side for a 2-0 lead.
Sorokin saved a couple of point-blank chances, but he wasn’t able to keep the Canes off the board entirely.
With seven minutes left in the second period, Carolina won a puck possession battle behind the goal. Winger Jesse Puljujärvi sent a slow pass back to teammate Jalen Chatfield at the blue line, who immediately released a shot towards the net. The Canes crashed the net and it paid off – Paul Stastny deflected it past Sorokin’s stick, closing their deficit to 2-1.
Yet the mistake five minutes later proved to be the final dagger for Carolina.
Martin Necas skated into the Isles zone on a 4-on-4, only to have the puck stolen away by Matt Barzal. Burns found himself in a tough 2-on-1 situation – either block Barzal’s shot, or defend a pass across the ice to Bo Horvat. Burns dove and tried to block Barzal’s wrister with his stick, only for it to rocket over Raanta’s right shoulder.
In order to advance to the Eastern Conference Semis for a third consecutive year, Carolina has to cut down on their mistakes. The Canes also need to re-discover ways to convert on their man-advantage opportunities – in their three postseason wins this year, they have at least one powerplay goal. Carolina went 0-for-3 on the man-advantage Tuesday night.
The Canes’ next opportunity to close out the series comes tomorrow in Game 6, a 7 p.m. start time in front of what’s sure to be a raucous Long Island crowd.
Can Carolina re-discover that same road success from Game 4, or will we go back to Raleigh for one more?
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