Penguins To Face Islanders In 1st Round Of Playoffs
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Pittsburgh Penguins finally know who their first round opponent in the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be.
Heading into the final night of the regular season, it was down to either the Ottawa Senators or New York Islanders.
With a win over the Boston Bruins Sunday night, the Ottawa Senators secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, which means the New York Islanders will take on the Penguins.
Game 1 of the series will be held on Wednesday at CONSOL Energy Center with Game 2 being held on Friday.
The full schedule is as follows:
Game 1 – Islanders Vs. Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center – Wednesday, May 1.
Game 2 – Islanders Vs. Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center – Friday, May 3.
Game 3 – Penguins Vs. Islanders at Nassau Coliseum – Sunday, May 5.
Game 4 - Penguins Vs. Islanders at Nassau Coliseum – Tuesday, May 7.
*Game 5 – Islanders Vs. Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center – Thursday, May 9.
*Game 6 - Penguins Vs. Islanders at Nassau Coliseum – Saturday, May 11.
*Game 7 - Islanders Vs. Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center – Sunday, May 12.
(* denotes if necessary)
The Penguins won the Atlantic Division and clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 36-12 record. The Islanders qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2007 with a record of 24-17-7.
Pittsburgh won the season series 4-1, but have never beaten the Islanders in a playoff series (0-3).
In 1975, the Penguins held a 3-0 series lead over the Islanders, but New York stormed back to win the series in seven games.
In 1982, the Penguins led 3-1 heading to the third period of a deciding Game 5. Mike McEwen scored with 5:27 remaining in the third period to cut the lead to 3-2. Then, John Tonelli tied it with 2:21 left in regulation.
In overtime, Tonelli scored again to win the series and the Islanders would go on to win the Stanley Cup.
In 1993, a heavily-favored Penguins club coming off consecutive Stanley Cup wins fell to the Islanders when David Volek scored in overtime of Game 7.
For what it’s worth, KDKA-TV’s Ross Guidotti thinks this is the year the Penguins get over the hump against the Islanders. He’s predicting that the Penguins will advance in five games.
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