Islanders Find Themselves in Unfamiliar Territory in Game 7 Against the Flyers

It has been five years since then New York Islanders were faced with a game 7. It was 2015 and the Islanders and Washington Capitals were even at three games apiece in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The opposing coach at the time, Barry Trotz

Fast forward five years and the Islanders are staring down another Game 7, and their coach this time around is Barry Trotz. The Islanders current coach is very familiar with Game 7s and the ups and downs of them.

“A journey to a Game 7 or a  journey in any series isn’t one team one and it goes back and forth. Very seldom does that happen,” Trotz said on Friday. “It’s more what you’re seeing. You’re seeing all three series where a team had some opportunity to close a team out and the fourth one is hard to get. Now you have three Game 7s happening.”

The circumstances around the upcoming elimination game are certainly different from the last time New York found themselves in a Game 7 situation. The Islanders have suffered back-to-back overtime losses and let a 3-1 series lead slip away as they look to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1993.

“You’re going to have swings like that, but this is kind of what you want as a player. Just you have to win a game,” Brock Nelson said. “Refocus, reset. Whatever has happened in the past is done and it’s about one game, and getting ready for that.”

The New York Islanders Islanders have shown they can be resilient during the postseason. It has been a theme in each of the Islanders first three series during these unique playoffs, but they have not had their backs against the wall as they will on Saturday.

Game 7 marks the first time this summer that the Islanders have found themselves on the brink of elimination. The losses in Game 5 and Game 6 were both tough enough that it would be understandable for any team to take a hit in their confidence level.

“It’s short term memory,” Andy Greene said. “As soon as the game was over last night it was let’s focus on Game 7 here and get ready. You can’t waste any energy or waste time thinking about what’s happened at this point. Now it comes down to one game. Let’s go out and play, and let’s do it.”

It was an unlucky break in the second overtime period on Thursday, but it was several costly turnovers that allowed the Flyers to force a seventh game. A lackadaisical dump by Anders Lee led to the Flyers first goal of the game and a turnover in the offensive zone allowed the Flyers to score off the transition for the second goal.

Devon Toews coughed the puck up at the blue line in the Flyers zone and allowed Philly to go the other way and tie the game at four.

It’s been the little mistakes that have cost the New York Islanders in close games this series with Philadelphia, none more so than in Game 6. The Islanders believe the fix is somewhat simple.

“They’ve capitalized on a couple of mistakes and we’re trying to do the same to them when they turn it over,” Brock Nelson said. “Just have to manage the puck. Be smart. At the same time be confident and go out there and be hockey players and make plays. It’s just about reading and giving what the game gives you.”

Game 7 takes place on Saturday at 7 p.m.