Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz has always maintained that in a playoff series, there isn’t really any momentum from game to game. That theory will be put to the test again on Wednesday night when the Islanders have an opportunity to finish off the Boston Bruins with a win in game six at Nassau Coliseum (730pm NBCSN). The Islanders are in this position as a result of Monday night’s 5-4 victory in game five that gave them a 3-2 series lead.
So, Barry…any change in your theory? Does your team have momentum on your side heading into game six?
“No, I don’t think so,” said Trotz, who is trying to guide the Islanders to the NHL’s final four for the second straight season and a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Every game is an individual event. We have to be way better.”
Islanders vs Bruins (Isles lead series 3-2)
Game 1…Saturday May 29th…Bruins 5 Islanders 2…
Game 2…Monday May 31st…Islanders 4 Bruins 3 (OT)…
Game 3…Thursday June 3rd…Bruins 2 Islanders 1 (OT)…
Game 4…Saturday June 5th…Islanders 4 Bruins 2…
Game 5…Monday June 7th…Islanders 5 Bruins 4…
Game 6…Wednesday June 9th…Bruins at Islanders…730pm NBCSN
*Game 7…Friday June 11th…Islanders at Bruins…730PM NBCSN
*If Necessary
This series has evolved similar to how round one went against the Penguins. The Islanders and Bruins split the first two in Boston and then they split games three and four at Nassau Coliseum. Just like against Pittsburgh, the Islanders took game five on the road to set up an opportunity to clinch the series in front of a sellout crowd of 12,000.
The expectation is another highly emotional atmosphere at Nassau Coliseum.
“Probably like it has been the last couple of games…crazy and loud,” said Trotz. “They’re fun games. The fans make a big difference.”
Closing out a series is not an easy thing to in any sport as any player and coach will tell you that the hardest game to win in a series is the clincher. In this case, the Islanders realize that beating a really good Bruins team for the fourth time in this series will not be an easy task.
“Any team that has experience knows how hard it is to get that fourth game and you’ve got to bring that desperation too,” said Trotz. “We’ll be desperate (Wednesday). They will be desperate. If we leave our best game out there, hopefully we get the result. If we do, then we advance. If we don’t, we go to game seven and we’ll have to have our best game there in Boston.”
The Islanders have already won two games at TD Garden in this series, but make no mistake about it…the Islanders want no part of a return to Beantown for a game seven on Friday.
They want another “Coli Party” on Wednesday night.