Kicking off their first-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Islanders lost a Game 1 where they played pretty well and could have and maybe really should have been in position to win.
They never had a lead, but spent over 20 minutes with the better share of chances to take one.How much that costs them is of course TBD by how the rest of the series goes, but the Isles will feel like they played well enough to have a win, but for their finishing.
It was the missed scoring chances that really cost the Isles, as they mostly withstood the Canes’ usual barrage of shots — and actually outshot them 35-26 — on their way to a 3-1 (EN) loss.