In the last game, Semeon Varlamov was left to fend for himself in the latter half of the match, but let's just say the fourth goal by the Canes hit like a Mike Tyson left hook to the middle of the forehead. The Islanders were rocked.
Unfortunately, his team was leading 3-0, then the Hurricanes applied pressure. Gradually, they clawed their way back into the game to ultimately win 5-3, scoring five unanswered goals. Team morale must have been fragile. Moreover, the Hurricanes will aim to start the game strong in New York on Thursday night.
Last July, Lou Lamoriello agreed to an eight-year contract extension with Russian goaltender Ilya Sorokin. He had been phenomenal in the playoffs, and all hopes were high for the team with this stalwart in front of the net.