New York Islanders Defeat Florida Panthers to Win First Playoff Series in 23 Years

The New York Islanders finally win a playoff series for the first time in 23 years, after skating by the Florida Panthers 2-1 in double overtime of game six, on Sunday night. 

The first round series between the two teams was probably the most equally balanced one of the 2016 National Hockey League playoffs. The Panthers who finished with the best record in the Atlantic Division, getting second seed in the Eastern Conference. As the number two seed, they earned the right to matchup with the Islanders, who were the top Wildcard winners.  

The losing teams in each of the six battles, may have put forth the better effort, but in the end the result on the scoreboard went the other way. The two teams combined for over 70 minutes of overtime action in this first round series. Games five and six both going into double OT.  

Game six was not any different than any of the other games, as the majority of the opening period both Islanders netminder, Thomas Greiss and Panthers goalie, Roberto Luongo kept the game scoreless. At the 18:58 mark of the first period though, Jonathan Huberdeau was able to get one past Greiss to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. 

Both teams were able to hold down the for and help their goaltenders out for most of remainder of the game, until 44 seconds left in regulation, with the extra skater on, Islanders captain, John Tavares was able to get to a loose puck in the creased and put home the equalizer. As the period would come to a close, both teams would head back to their dressing rooms, and prepare for some more extra hockey. 

As both teams would get their chances in the first overtime period, Greiss and Luongo would remain strong keeping their teams in the game. With 80 minutes down and both teams unable to get the winner past either goaltender, the players would head back to the room to get some much needed rest before getting back out there for some more hockey. 

The first half of the second overtime, the goalies would come up big for their teammates hoping one of their skaters could get the chance to get down the other end and score the winner. Midway through the second extra session, Tavares would strike again, finding his rebound and slipping it past Luongo sending the Islanders onto the second round. 

Through the four and a half periods on Sunday night, Greiss turned away 41 of the 42 Panthers shots that he faced, while Luongo stopped 49 of the Islanders 51 shots on goal. Both goalies are going to need a break after this series, as the two of them combined to turn away about 460 shots over the six games. 

Before this season, the Islanders last won a playoff series during the 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers have now lost their last eight overtime games, dating all the way back to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, when they lost, game four, 1-0 in triple overtime to the Colorado Avalanche.  

If it was not for an empty net goal by Panthers’ defenseman, Dmitry Kulikov in game two, every game of this series would have been a one goal game. Three of them going into overtime.

44-year-old Panthers forward, Jaromir Jagr, appeared in his 208^th Stanley Cup Playoff game, tying him for 16^th all-time with Wayne Gretzky. 

The Islanders now head down to the Gulf Coast of Florida, where they will open the second round of the playoffs on the road, against the Tampa Bay Lighting.