The New York Islanders fell to the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 2 of their playoff series, putting themselves in a daunting 2-0 hole.
Sebastian Aho’s goal with 17:45 left in the game tied the score and set up the Hurricanes’ eventual game-winning goal, which came off the ensuing faceoff. Aho also assisted on Jake Guentzel’s empty-netter to cement the Islanders’ collapse.
Seth Jarvis, who was demoted to the third line to make room for Andrei Svechnikov, had a goal and a secondary assist to help kick-start Carolina’s comeback.
Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves for the Islanders, but the Hurricanes dominated the offensive zone and made life difficult for the veteran goaltender. Varlamov kept the Islanders in the game, but they failed to provide enough support in front of him.
The Hurricanes’ ability to quickly regain momentum after Anders Lee gave the Islanders a 3-0 lead was crucial. Carolina applied relentless offensive pressure, which led to Mathew Barzal’s tripping penalty and Teuvo Teravainen’s goal. The home crowd remained engaged, and the Islanders struggled to maintain their lead.
“Right now, we’re just dealing with the sting,” said Islanders captain Anders Lee after the game.
