Mathew Barzal scores in 2nd OT as Islanders beat Hurricanes 3
NEW YORK (AP) — Mathew Barzal capped a solid all-around effort by the New York Islanders with their season on the line to get a big win.
Barzal scored his second goal of the game on a deflection 1:24 into the second overtime and the Islanders beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 4 on Saturday to avoid a sweep in their first-round playoff series.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored and Semyon Varlamov stopped 42 shots — including 18 in the overtimes — on his 36th birthday to help the Islanders stave off elimination.
“Our mindset was really good,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “Guys were determined to find a way to fight to win this hockey game. ... It was a team effort. It was about our D played a strong game and we were very good defensively, we were very good offensively.”
Varlamov stopped a shot by Jordan Staal in the opening minute of the second overtime. The Islanders’ Robert Bortuzzo then fired a shot from the point that deflected in off Barzal’s stick for the win.