Through the second period of Game 4, the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins continued their frenzied exchange of goals, with considerable help from the beleaguered goalies.
Islanders vs. Penguins Game 4 update: Another period, another swap of goals
The Islanders and Penguins have six goals through two periods, because that’s how this series and these goalies roll.
A major strength for the Penguins in this series has been their special teams, but in the second period their special teams luck turned. The Islanders finally scored on their fourth power play opportunity of the game -- just their second conversion of the series -- while the Penguins did everything but score on their two power plays despite several great chances on the first one.
They hemmed the Islanders in for the final 90 seconds of the man advantage and even had a stretch where Kyle Okposo was without his stick. But Evgeni Nabokov finally froze the puck and got the Islanders a rest.
Not long after, Nabokov sold a goalie interference call after Matt Cooke bumped him in the crease. John Tavares scored on that power play, tipping a Mark Streit chance from the point.
Marc-Andre Fleury was so ready to stop this one ... until he teetered over:
As the Penguins have done in every game of this series where the Islanders have managed a goal, Pittsburgh struck right back, and fast.
A risky pinch by Brian Strait and a bad change by Frans Nielsen led to a 2-on-1 with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal, both lethal shooters. Malkin used the space afforded to him by Travis Hamonic and beat Evgeni Nabokov cleanly:
Then the Penguins decided to take a lead for themselves instead of playing catchup.
On a dump-in to the right wing corner, Matt Cooke obliterated Islanders defenseman Matt Carkner...
...which allowed him to win the puck for Brenden Morrow to find Brandon Sutter alone in front, where he beat Nabokov on the glove side.
But the goalies in this series? They are ... they are not having a very good week. So the Islanders tied it at 3-3 when Kyle Okposo shoveled a backhand from behind the net, off of Fleury and into the goal:
The teams were tied heading into the third period. By rule there must be another goal in this game. By history there will likely be several.
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