They say a series doesn’t start until the home team loses a game – but if this series “starts” in Game 3, it’ll be almost over.
Jesper Fast’s overtime goal gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 4-3 victory and a 2-0 series lead over the New York Islanders.
The Isles fought back from a 2-0 deficit and scored three unanswered goals to take a lead just over nine minutes into the third period, but Carolina tied it back up just three minutes later.
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Carolina Hurricanes’ Jesper Fast (71) jumps into the arms of Brent Burns (8) to celebrate his game winning overtime goal against New York Islanders in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Five minutes into the overtime period, Jordan Staal’s cross ice pass found the stick of Fast, who wristed past Ilya Sorokin, sending the Raleigh crowd into a frenzy.
The series is just two games old, and already the Islanders have had two tough losses – Game 1 was a nail-biter from start to finish which resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Canes.
Jaccob Slavin #74 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores a goal and celebrates with his teammates against the New York Islanders during the third period of Eastern Conference Game Two of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on April 19, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)
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This isn’t the first time Fast has been an enemy to the Islander faithful – the winger spent his first seven seasons with the Isles’ arch-rival New York Rangers.
Paul Stastny, Stefan Noesen, and Jaccob Slavin were the other goal-scorers for the boys in red, while defenseman Brett Burns dished out two assists. Kyle Palmieri, Mat Barzal, and Brock Nelson all scored for New York.
Carolina Hurricanes’ Paul Stastny (26) celebrates his goal against the New York Islanders with Jaccob Slavin (74), Seth Jarvis (24) and Teuvo Teravainen, left, during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, April 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
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The series now moves to Long Island for the next two games – it will be the first playoff games played at UBS Arena, which opened its doors in 2021.
