Panthers Have Home Ice Advantage Over Islanders In Game 5
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami) - After failing to push the Florida Panthers to the brink of elimination, the New York Islanders could find themselves in that very same predicament if they are unable to solve their Game 5 woes. The Islanders look to snap an 11-game skid in the fifth contest of a playoff series tonight when the first-round set returns to Florida.
Captain John Tavares scored a power-play goal on Wednesday for his career-high seventh point of the series, but New York mustered little else against Roberto Luongo and dropped a 2-1 decision to deadlock the series at two victories apiece. "You are not going to win many games when you score one goal and the same guys score," coach Jack Capuano said of the first line (Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen), which has accounted for six of the team's 11 goals. "We didn't create much. We got one line creating all of our offense right now." Reilly Smith carried Florida in the first three contests with four goals and as many assists before being held off the scoresheet in Game 4.
Ryan Pulock did not travel with the team to Florida, with Capuano telling Newsday that the rookie defenseman is likely out for the remainder of the series with an undisclosed injury.
"It's a big loss. He's a young guy who was playing real well, he had a couple points, a big goal (in Game 3)," Capuano said on Thursday. "It's a little more adversity we'll have to battle back from."
Fellow rookie Adam Pelech or veterans Marek Zidlicky or Brian Strait are candidates to replace Pulock, who was involved in a collision with Panthers forward Garrett Wilson with 7:40 remaining in the third period.
Panther's veteran Jaromir Jagr wasn't too interested in becoming the fifth player in NHL history to reach the 200-point plateau in the playoffs.
"To be honest with you: Do you remember who scored goals 10 years ago? I don't," the 44-year-old Jagr told reporters after he notched his first point of the series with an assist on Teddy Purcell's goal Wednesday. "It's everything about the Cup. Who cares who scored?"
If you're keeping score, Jagr has just one goal in his last 37 playoffs games - albeit with 18 assists.
OVERTIME
1. Florida has scored the opening goal in each contest of the series.
2. The last time New York emerged victorious in a Game 5 was the 1987 Patrick Division final versus Philadelphia.
3. The availability of Panthers C Vincent Trocheck (ankle) for Friday's tilt will be decided after the morning skate, coach Gerard Gallant told reporters.
The game starts at 8 p.m. at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.
PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Panthers 2
By SportsDirect Inc.
