Hurricanes vs Islanders: After over a week of waiting, the Islanders will start play in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at home against the upstart Carolina Hurricanes. These teams have never faced off in a playoff series in their history, which means the NHL will get a brand new Metro Division matchup, allowing for a good opportunity for both franchises to spotlight themselves and the seasons they have had.
Hurricanes vs Islanders
==MATCH INFO==
Hurricanes vs Islanders Live
Hurricanes will face Islanders in the fourth game of NHL Playoffs 2019. The New York Islanders are one of the best sides of the NHL this season. Viewers can watch the match on TV through NBCSN (USA); CBC, TVAS2 (Canada); MSG+, ATTSN-PT (Local). The official channels to watch Islanders vs Hurricanes Live Stream include Fubo.tv (subscription required, but you get a free trial), and NBCSN. The Pittsburgh Hurricanes are still featuring in a one-two punch of all-time legends in Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. The Isles started the 2018-19 campaign with incredible doubts. Not only would it be a nomadic season, travelling to Brooklyn and Long Island as they await a for a more permanent home. But the team also needed to play without its previous captain, John Tavares, who left in free agency.
New GM Lou Lamoriello hesitantly signed a handful of fourth-line players in free agency and gave the captaincy to Barry Trotz. He felt rejected after he won a Stanley Cup in Washington. He did not get the richest contract, which he thought he deserved. The Hurricanes have felt like a work in development all season. GM Jim Rutherford made numerous midlevel changes. Whether it was the swap in the early season. Marcus Pettersson was exchanged with Carl Hagelin or the inclusion of Jared McCann and Nick Bjugstad, two forwards for the future to get this team in the right direction.
"I know they're sitting there, probably licking their chops. I think we all would be the way this series went, seven games, overtimes, the grind that this series was, injuries that were racked up, and they're just sitting there for 10 days, or I don't know how long. I know they're a great team, and that's why they had a pretty easy [first] round. They know how to win, and they do it right."
The skinny
The New York Islanders will face off against the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round is at Barclays Center on Friday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
The Islanders are in the second round for the first time since 2016 and are coming off their second playoff series win since 1993.
The Hurricanes rallied to end the Washington Capitals' defense of the Stanley Cup and finished off their first-round series with a 4-3 double-overtime win in Game 7 at Capital One Arena on Wednesday. This is Carolina's first trip to the postseason since 2009.
Game breakers
Islanders: Forward Jordan Eberle scored in each of New York's four games against Pittsburgh in the first round after having five goals in the final seven games of the regular season.
Hurricanes: Center Jordan Staal had six points (three goals, three assists) in the seven-game series against the Capitals and changed the tone of the series with 10 hits in Game 3. Staal helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2009.
