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Islanders Rally Falls Short in Game 5 Loss to Flyers

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New York Islanders lament a goal scored by the Philadelphia Flyers

The New York Islanders will have to wait another day for a shot to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.



Despite the Islanders rallying from a two-goal deficit in the third period, Scott Laughton got a deflection goal at 12:20 of the overtime period to secure a 4-3 win for the Flyers and push the Second Round series to a sixth game. The loss continues a trend that has seen the Islanders fail to close out an opponent on their first opportunity in every series they’ve played this postseason.

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Ivan Provorov slung a shot towards the net from the blueline and Laughton was able to get the deflection for the game-winning goal.

“That’s the way it goes sometimes. I think as wingers we have to do a better job and try and get out there as quick as we can,” Josh Bailey said about stopping the deflection goals. “Then try and tie guys up in front. I think fro the most part our D and forwards do a good job. Those pucks are going to find their way in sometimes. Hopefully next game they find their way in for us.”

The New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers will Play Game 6 on Thursday. However, a time has not been set yet for the game.

It capped a night that saw the Islanders play sloppily for a better part of Game 5, but claw back with two goals in the final five minutes of the third. It was the third time this season that the Islanders eliminated a third period deficit against the Flyers and the second time during the postseason.

“That’s just the character of our team,” Jordan Eberle said. “There’s quit in us. We want to continue, even you’re down 3-1 with eight or nine minutes left. There’s still an opportunity to win the game. Obviously, didn’t get the result. It wasn’t what we wanted, but we’ll be ready to go next time.”

Mat Barzal Leaves Game 5 Early

Semyon Varlamov returned to the net after Thomas Greiss started in Game 4. Varlamov gave the Islanders a 28 save effort on Tuesday.

The Islanders mounted a third-period comeback late in the final 20 minutes. It started with a goal from Brock Nelson off a one-timer with 4: 14 left in the period. The goal was Nelson’s sixth of the playoffs and pulled the Islanders within one.

The equalizer came with 2:41 left in regulation. With the Islanders buzzing Cal Clutterbuck took the puck off the wall and skated towards the net. Clutterbuck was able to get a backhand centering pass over to Brassard, who backhanded the puck past Hart for the goal.

“Our first period they had lot more desperation coming out of the gates than we did,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “I thought we stabilized the game. In the second I thought we were coming pretty good. We got the power-play goal and then we made a couple of I would say questionable decisions. They capitalized on their chances. In the third period, I thought we were coming.”

The Islanders took the lead 1:20 into the second period with the Islanders on the power play. Bailey put a shot on goal from the side of the net and it ricocheted off a someone in the blue paint and went in. The goal was originally credited to Josh Bailey but was later changed to Mat Barzal’s goal

The Flyers challenged the goal for goaltender interference, arguing that Mat Barzal was hindering Carter Hart’s ability to make the save. After review, it was ruled a good goal and that Barzal had been pushed into the crease by a Flyers player.

It was Claude Giroux’s first of the playoffs that evened the game at one at the 15:45 of the second period. Philippe Myers threw a puck towards the net from the blueline and Giroux deflected it in the slot by Semyon Varlamov.

Less than three minutes later the Flyers captured the lead off an offensive zone turnover by the Islanders. Philadelphia took the puck the other way and on an odd-man rush, James van Riemsdyk scored to make it 2-1 at 18:18.

It was another costly turnover in the third that put the Islanders down by two early in the period. Derick Brassard went to pass the puck Jean-Gabriel Pageau as they exited the Islanders zone, but the pass was picked off and the Flyers took advantage.

Matt Niskanen fired a slapshot from the far side of the ice and beat Varlamov to make it 3-1.

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