New York Islanders: Three takeaways from Game 1 victory over the Penguins

Three goals and still needed OT.

One of the things about playoff hockey is that you just never know what you are going to get. You could get the exact same team you saw in the regular season, or you could get a whole new team for the playoffs who is trying to find the balance between the two.

Well, one thing is for sure and that is that Barry Trotz’s defense first team mentality is built for the playoffs. While the Isles’ offense got lethargic with this at times during the regular season, the team always had at least a chance considering how sound they are defensively.

One of the first things I noticed about this game is that the Islanders scored three goals and still needed OT win. Yes, they are playing one of the best playoff teams ever in the Penguins, but with goalies as good as they have three goals for should be enough to win, it wasn’t.

Going into the playoffs, the Islanders had won their last nine straight games when scoring three goals or more. If not for a random 4-3 OT loss in Edmonton in February, that streak of scoring three or more and winning would be a little higher.

So, the fact that the Islanders scored three regulation goals and still needed the extra 20 to decide things is a little off-brand for them. We all knew it was impossible to win every playoff game 1-0, 2-1, or something like that but three goals is almost always good enough for the Islanders.

The Pens really gave the Isles all they could handle tonight.