Islanders Martin, Cizikas, Bailey had Careers Shaped by 2013 Playoffs | NYHN+

When the puck drops for Game 2 of the New York Islanders First Round matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, it will be Matt Martin’s 62nd career playoff game, Josh Bailey’s 54th and Casey Cizkas’s 52nd game of his career in the postseason. But flashback eight years ago when these two teams met for the first time in postseason play since 1993 and it was their first taste of the playoffs.

While many of the faces on both sides of the rivalry have changed over the years several have remained the same. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are still going strong for Pittsburgh and Martin, Cizikas and Bailey remain the New York Islanders representatives from that series.

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The 2013 series was a learning experience for the three intricate members of the Islanders core and helped them understand what was needed to win a playoff round.

“We were a lot younger back then and the emotions that go through a series, that go through a game, you learn how to handle that better,” Cizikas said. ” It’s a roller coaster and you just have to keep yourself at an even keel and just keep going out there and playing. It doesn’t matter what happens. It doesn’t matter if they score. You have to keep pushing forward.”

When the Islanders and Pittsburgh squared off in 2013 there were plenty of emotional swings in that series, similar to what transpired in Game 1 on Sunday. The Islanders were blown out in Game 1 of that series eight years ago before mounting an impressive comeback in Game 2 to erase a two-goal deficit and win the game to send the series tied at one back to Long Island.

The Islanders experienced the highs of another victory in Game 4 and the roar of the Nassau Coliseum in three playoff games that occurred that year. They also dealt with the lows of two overtime losses, one of which ended the series in Game 6, and  pair of blowout losses in Pittsburgh.

“I think in my first playoff series, I don’t want to speak for everybody, but we kind of played like this. In our first game I think we were expecting a lot different game,” Martin said. “Then after that you kind of get a better feel for what playoffs is all about. It’s definitely more physical. There’s definitely more commitment. That atmosphere is far greater in terms of the fans and the intensity, but inside all of that, you just have to keep your emotions in check.”

The lessons that Martin, Cizikas, Bailey and the rest of the Islanders have learned over the years were on display on Sunday afternoon. The New York Islanders let an early lead slip away and were outplayed in the second period trailing by a goal heading into the third.

They were able to manage the emotional swings of the game, even after a late third period from Brock Nelson looked as though that would seal the win. Pittsburgh answered back 31 seconds later to force overtime.

“Whoever generally stays true to who they are and is the most disciplined through the course of the playoff series is going to come out on top,” Martin said. “The swings can be big and it’s about controlling the momentum as much as possible.”

Cizikas added: “That’s the one thing that I learned over the years is the emotions are crazy. As the game goes on you just have to stay with it.”

What’s made this year unique and it more than fitting that the Islanders ended up facing Pittsburgh was the role the Coliseum plays in all of this. Martin, Cizikas and Bailey all helped usher in the playoffs back at the Nassau Coliseum after a six-year hiatus in 2013.

It felt as if the roof was going to cave in the decibel level was so high during Game 3 in 2013, the first time the Islanders hosted a playoff game there since 2007 against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Islanders are expecting a similar feel when the series shifts back to Long Island later this week with a crowd of nearly 7,000 fans in attendance. That would be the largest sized crowd to watch a game at the Coliseum since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Those are going to be good games to play and to have the fans back in the stadium it’s definitely going to be exciting. Something we’re looking forward to,” Cizikas said.