Staal lifts Hurricanes over Isles in OT in Game 1

[April 27, 2019]  Jordan Staal scored 4:04 into overtime Friday night to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 1-0 win over the host New York Islanders in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Nino Niederreiter set up the goal by firing a shot off the boards behind the New York net. The puck bounced to Staal, whose lunging shot glanced off the skate of goaltender Robin Lehner and into the net.

Lehner made 31 saves, as did Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek.

Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn.

The Hurricanes played a 1-0 overtime game for the first time in franchise history, dating back to their days as the Hartford Whalers. The Islanders played their second, and their first since beating the Chicago Blackhawks on Apr. 18, 1979.

The game was the first for the Islanders at Barclays Center since Feb. 16. New York played its final 13 regular-season games and both home games of its first-round sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.

The Islanders generated the majority of chances in the first. Mrazek turned back five shots during a power play generated when Justin Williams was whistled for tripping, including consecutive attempts at the doorstep by Anthony Beauvillier a little more than eight minutes into the game. Mrazek also stopped Josh Bailey on a pair of backhanded point-blank attempts.

The Hurricanes almost broke the scoreless tie in the final minute, when Brock McGinn pounced on a turnover by Devon Toews deep in the Islanders' zone and fired a pair of shots that were smothered by Lehner.

Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek (34) defends the net against New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) during the second period in game one of the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports

The Hurricanes had their best chance in the first two periods just before the midway point of the second when Toews again turned the puck over in the Islanders' zone. Greg McKegg picked up the puck, raced in all alone and fired a shot toward the corner of the net that a sprawling Lehner was able to deflect with his pads.

Islanders center Mathew Barzal appeared to finally produce the game's first goal when his shot sailed past Mrazek with 2:53 left in the second period, but Anders Lee was whistled for interfering with Mrazek.

In the third, Williams had a brief look at an open net following a wraparound, but Nick Leddy dove into the crease and blocked the shot. Ryan Pulock almost put the Islanders ahead with 4:26 left, but his shot got wedged in the netting on the side of the net.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.