While we have the New York Islanders fresh on our minds, let's talk about another series against them from a few years ago. The Carolina Hurricanes have developed quite the one-sided postseason rivalry with their division foes. They've met three times in the playoffs, and the Canes have lost just three total games. Two of those three losses came in 2023.
We have already discussed at length their second-round series with the Devils and their loss in the conference finals to the Panthers. Now, we're going back to the beginning. Following their division title, the Canes settled into the second spot in the East, with no one remotely close to catching the Bruins at 135 points. This meant they'd open against the top Wild Card team.
The Islanders just edged out the Panthers for that honor, finishing one point ahead of Florida for the better of the Wild Card spots. While they might not have been the most dominant team on offense, like their team in 2019, the Islanders looked to limit their opponents' chances. They ranked in the Top 5 in team defense in 2022-23, backed by Vezina runner-up Ilya Sorokin.
#18: New York put up a fight, but the Hurricanes proved too tough
Game 1 was all about Carolina's special teams. The opening goal of the series came on the power play. Right off the draw, Sebastian Aho wired a one-timer past Sorokin, needing just five seconds on the man advantage to draw first blood. Early in the second, the power play got another. Stefan Noesen redirected Brent Burns' shot from the point, doubling the lead.
The Islanders responded 24 seconds later when Ryan Pulock beat Antti Raanta, who earned the nod over Frederik Andersen. However, that was all they got. Along with their two goals on the man advantage, the Canes denied all four of New York's power plays. Raanta stopped 25 shots, and Burns and Martin Necas had two assists each in the Canes' series-opening 2-1 victory.
There was a little more offense in Game 2. The Canes got off to another good start when Paul Stastny opened the scoring early, and Noesen added another power-play goal in the second, with a little help from the Islanders' Sebastian Aho. However, New York scored twice in the second and again in the third, taking a 3-2 lead midway into the final frame.
It feels like once a year, Jaccob Slavin makes a huge play in the postseason. He tied Game 2 by scoring from an impossible angle, banking his shot off Sorokin's mask and sending the sides to overtime. Early in the fourth period, the Canes finished it. Jordan Martinook might've gotten away with a penalty, but Jordan Staal found Jesper Fast, and he shot against the grain to beat Sorokin.
Up 2-0 and heading to New York, the Canes must've known that it wasn't going to be a smooth ride. Game 3 was scoreless through the first period before Casey Cizikas broke the ice with 7:11 left in the second period. Seth Jarvis saved a goal soon after, keeping it a one-goal game. A few minutes later, Fast scored a short-handed goal to tie it, sending the game into the third period knotted at one.
Another overtime game felt likely as the teams sat tied for most of the third, but things unraveled for the Canes in the final four minutes. Kyle Palmieri broke the deadlock on the power play with 3:51 remaining. Matt Martin scored 44 seconds later. Scott Mayfield iced it with an empty-net goal, and Anders Lee added another 16 seconds later, giving New York four goals in 2:18 to win Game 3, 5-1.
A broken losing streak, a surprise debut, and an unlikely OT hero
Their loss in Game 3 meant the Canes had now lost eight straight road games in the postseason, going back to their Game 3 win against Tampa Bay in 2021. They were on a mission to change that in Game 4. Seth Jarvis opened the game with a 5-on-3 goal, and Martin Necas added another on the power play early in the second period.
Game 4 also featured the team debut of MacKenzie MacEachern, who stepped in for Derek Stepan. He made an immediate impact, setting up Aho for a goal in the second. Jarvis scored his second of the game in the third, and while the Islanders got on the board less than two minutes later, MacEachern provided the dagger in a 5-2 win, bringing the Canes' losing streak to an end.
With a road win under their belts, finishing the series at home should've been a breeze. Instead, the Islanders found a way to keep their season alive in Game 5. Pierre Engvall got New York going with a goal midway through the first period. Then, he set up Brock Nelson early in the second period to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead.
Stastny broke Sorokin's shutout with another redirected goal to give the Canes a little life, but Mathew Barzal got it back in the final minutes of the frame to restore New York's two-goal lead. Aho tried to kickstart the comeback in the third period, but it wasn't enough. Sorokin made 34 stops, sending the series back to Long Island.
While the Islanders had forced Game 6 at home, the series was still in the Canes' favor. They made a change in the net upon their return to New York, sending Frederik Andersen out for the first time in the series. The Islanders, with momentum still on their side, opened the scoring in the first on Cal Clutterbuck's goal, and their 1-0 lead stuck for most of the night.
Once again, Aho dragged his team into the fight. Just about halfway into the third, Aho knocked down a puck and batted it home to tie it up. Overtime was needed once more, and the series was finished early. Stepan did a great job of keeping the puck in the zone, and Stastny surprised Sorokin from a sharp angle, sneaking a shot under his right pad to send the Canes onto the second round.
In the "Battle of Sebastian Ahos", there was little doubt which one would have the greater impact. The Canes' star recovered from a quieter start and took over the series by the end. His goal in Game 4 served as the game-winner, but it also helped him pass Eric Staal for the most postseason goals in franchise history (20). Aho finished with a series-high four goals and seven points.
This series was all about showcasing the depth that both Carolina and New York possessed. Of the 39 skaters who appeared in at least one game, only eight players were shut out for both sides. The Islanders had 12 players find the back of the net, while the Canes had eight. It was a fairly even series all the way around, especially between the pipes.
This is a series that largely flies under the radar. Obviously, I think it's the best of the Canes' three series from 2023, though I think they're all grouped pretty close together. However, there are still several series above it that are more memorable, which is why it still comes in pretty low on the list. There's one more series with the Islanders that I think we remember a lot more than this one.
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