Jordan Eberle and Josh Bailey score late, New York Islanders win second game against Pittsburgh Penguins

The New York Islanders built their win in the first game to thwart the Pittsburgh Penguins in their 3-1 win in the second game at the Nassau Coliseum. Sidney Crosby was again out of the scorecard, although he and Evgeni Malkin, who were increasingly frustrated, both appeared on the scoreboard. sheet with three minor penalties between them.

The result places the Penguins 0-2 in the playoffs for the first time since 2013 – the last year in which the two teams met in the playoffs – and place the first two islands 2-0 in a series for the first time since the dynasty. It also masks an outstanding performance by Matt Murray, who played a key role in maintaining the scoreless first-half match.

Period by period: The Islanders had the better of the first goal, slumped a bit at the end of the second after conceding and tied at 1-1, then moved away midway through the third on a scoring goal. Jordan Eberle and a very good match. timely game insurance marker Josh Bailey.

The last minutes of regulation were a good old Coliseum party, with a hoarse crowd absorbing the air that escaped deflated pens.

[[[[Sum game | Sum of event | Natural trick | HockeyViz]

First period: Murray a Wall

Jake Guentzel and Cal Clutterbuck meet before the end of the initial faceoff. Playoffs.

This one started nasty and stayed like that. Storms are burning everywhere.

The Islanders played a very strong time, sticking to their structure, making few mistakes and quickly covering the gaps. They also did an excellent job of intercepting the horizontal passes of the Penguin in the neutral zone.

Robin Lehner was really strong, but Matt Murray had to deal with even more dangerous tests and refused them all, making it a compelling goal to reach the first intermission without scoring.

Project: Mess with Malkin

Evgeni Malkin will have a tough streak if he can not control his tendency to do stupid things when he is irritated. Tonight, they did not even have to try to interfere with him before he went crazy.

He did not need to tie Devon Toews in pursuit of a dump-in, but he did, was immediately whistled, and immediately barked when his stick was held. Toews could clutched … but even if it was, it was only after Malkin stuck his hook in the middle section of Toews. Easy call.

The power play of the Islanders worked well, but failed to get really dangerous shots.

Once his sentence has expired, Malkin is engaged in the match with Leo Komarov, just like Patric Hornqvist at the same time. He probably should have thrown Hornqvist with Malkin and Komarov, but that would not give the desired 4-on-4 result that balance-balance makers sometimes like to practice.

A series of power games events

On the 4-on-4, the Isles hit the post on a Toews shot, and a Josh Bailey interception arranged Brock Nelson for an undisputed shooter that Murray stopped.

After playing all 82 regular season games, Jack Jonhson was particularly touched by Tom Kuhnhackl, as he felt the pressure on the way back for a puck recovery, creating the second power play of the evening at the Isles.

They had a good first chance after Teddy Blueger, who runs a portion of his uncle's pizza, broke his stick in the face-off that followed. Matt Murray closed the door and blocked the puck, as he did at the next opportunity.

The Penguins killed him, and Johnson quickly pushed Adam Pelech off the puck at the blue line. Johnson was rushing out of the box on the bench after avoiding Johnny Boychuk, and he may not have seen Pelech before it was too late. But the referees had to call it, and did it …

… and you knew they would take the first opportunity to get there, and that's what happened when Anders Lee took Erik Gudbranson on the way to the finish boards. This only happened after the islands had a minute of power play, again with decent puck work, but no results.

This 4-in-4 was less hectic – although Barzal had two close approaches with Bailey – but once the Penguins got ready for their power play minute, things were a little scary.

His penalty being eliminated, Lee went into Barzal Mode and spun in the wing to prevent Gudbransoninside from going out, but Murray managed a shot of the glove and shoulder, and the outside of the post did the rest. Previously, Nick Leddy had also had a crazy race, forcing Murray to stretch for another good save.

Second period: Somehow, more intense. Also: objectives.

The crowd followed Barry Trotz's instructions and did not falter in the second half. All their voices must look like Barry Trotz during an in-game interview.

In the first minute, Matt Cullen looked clean, but Lehner stole what is becoming his trademark.

Then, the Islanders' power play had two more chances in a row, but it came back empty. Sidney Crosby was called for hanging, then Gudbranson for DIY up, creating a 5:53 to 0:54. Murray shone again, blocking Bailey at the door, Lee with his very tight backhand attempt and Pulock on a one-timer set up by Jordan Eberle.

But the Penguins finally hit first, on a nice Malkin entry, Gudbranson's shot deflecting Komarov and Leddy's stick before passing through a Hornqvist screen.

Anthony Beauvillier equalized on a rebound after a dazzling run with Barzal, who found himself in the penalty box after the goal.

After the puck came in and Beauvillier celebrated with Eberle and Toews from one side, a scrum ensued in the corner.

Marcus Pettersson and Barzal quarreled, then Eberle and Hornqvist, Gudbranson and Mayfield. At one point, there were three Penguins on Barzal in the fray, but in one way or another, the Islanders received the minor supplement on the game. Really, I do not know how they have come to that, if not to grind the unbalanced register of penalties.

(Even with my complaints, the Penguins will feel aggrieved about the register of penalties in this game, and not without reason, given the random application of the rulebook.)

So it was 1-1, with the Penguins on the power play. The islanders have survived. The rest of the second was a little uncomfortable, with the Penguins generating more chances and sustained pressure, although Lehner and the defense team do well to smother dangerous lost pucks.

Third period: Eberle Magic + Power Play Goal (?!) = Party Time

Mike Sullivan mixed his linemates Malkin, Crosby and Kessel a bit to start the third. None of this really alters the feeling of terror that I have when one or the other is on the ice. They all seem to know how to play with these three stars, it's just about knowing when it's their night. Or period.

Indeed, Crosby had the chance to take a puck into the slot and train all around Lehner, but his pass through the slot did not find anyone. Shortly after, Josh Bailey was at close range against Murray, but the Penguins goaltender made another massive save.

Meanwhile, the bad blood boiling seemed at least to calm down a bit. Both teams were still looking for shots, but not with the same verve, nor wasted extra energy afterwards. Garrett Wilson has raced wherever he could, but he is not as good as the Islanders' fourth.

And then … a breakthrough: Jordan Eberle's hands were magical in the first two games of this series, and he made a transfer from the Barzal area to home, making waves before blowing a backhand behind Murray at the second post. .

This helped Justin Schultz take part in a walk for what some Oilers fans once called "Jultzing".

That made 2-1 islands with 12 minutes left in the third.

Leddy then had a good swap and the hat at a timer was blocked, leading to a run with Hornqvist towards the Pens bench for the loose puck. Hornqvist being Hornqvist, he was a little too zealous and took a penalty kick. (Wilson chirps Leddy from the bench while getting up, which … yeah ok.)

The power play started a little nervously, a little too carefully, and the Penguins could easily have rushed the other way. However, they never did and the Islanders were finally sorted out.

Josh Bailey recovered a deflected shot from Toews and made a forehand through Murray. The power play of the Islanders, in his sixth try of the evening, was finally returned in the match. There remained 3-1 islands at 8:22 of the end. The "Heeeeeeyyyy, Josh Bailey! I want to know-oooh-oh ', then the song sounded in the crowd until 11.

Seven minutes from the end, Zach Aston-Reese missed "a babysitter", as they say in the field, at the back, on a superb Malkin configuration, which would have brought the Penguins back to an hour . Johnny Bocyhuk was on Aston-Reese but not as much as you want.

It was about as close as possible to make it scary again. Crosby had a crisp look, he missed it at the last minute, and there was a good chance of making a hit in the slot. The Penguins controlled the puck with the sixth striker, but that was too little, too late.

Project: Mess with Malkin Update: Malkin Messes with Himself

As usual, Malkin used the last seconds to throw sticks, including a crossover of Mayfield's back while he was engaged with another penguin. Brock Nelson identified the situation and put Malkin on the road, essentially matching Malkin's counter-control to this one. Then Mayfield was released and had his own lick, as he should do.

Malkin can be dangerous when he is angry, but also extremely unruly. It's fun to watch him scroll.

So he continued after the ring, with the rest of the Penguins, performing the little ball of the group "I hit you on the face but I do not really fight because everyone knows you do not have to fight the superstars ".

The islands have called their bluffs.

They are also heading to Pittsburgh with a 2-0 lead.