Islanders Look to Eliminate Panthers in Game 6 on Sunday

The NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinals best of seven series between the visiting Florida Panthers and the host New York Islanders continues on Sunday April 24, with the Panthers on the brink of elimination as the Islanders lead the series 3-2.

Odds makers have the Islanders favored at -110 while the Panthers are +100. The over/under goal total is sitting on 5.

The New York Islanders are surprising many in this series against the No. 2 seeded Florida Panthers. The Islanders are seeing success thanks to the fine play of backup goalie Thomas Greiss who could lead the team to its first trip to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 23 seasons.

A win would clinch the series for New York in front of their home crowd after the Islanders went to Florida on Friday and beat the Panthers in double overtime 2-1.

Last season the Islanders lost to the Washington Capitals in seven games in the first round and in 2013 lost in six games to Pittsburgh, which are the only two appearances by the team since 2007.

Alan Quine scored the game winner in the second overtime with just 4 minutes remaining for his first goal in the playoffs and his second overall in just his seventh game in the NHL.

Florida had a chance to win in the first overtime, but Alesander Barkov missed a penalty shot that Greiss saved. The penalty shot was just the third ever awarded in an overtime period during the playoffs and all have been missed.

Greiss has played in goalie since March 8 after starting goalie Jaroslav Halak went down with a groin injury. Greiss, who is 30, had logged only 40 minutes of playoff action prior to this series. Yet, he had 47 saves during Game 5 and has stopped 92 of the past 95 he has faced.

His goals against average is 2.09 and his save percentage is .938, over the first give games of the series.

While the Panthers feel they are playing well, the club is one loss from being eliminated for the fourth time in the first round since last winning a playoff series in 1996 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Four of the series’ first five games were decided by a single goal and two went into overtime. Florida’s three losses by one goal have included a minimum of one goal by the Islanders on the power play.

Florida is just 2 for 12 on the power play.

Prediction: This series is as tight as they get. Look for Florida to return strong in Game 6. Lean toward the Panthers to win and return home for the seventh and final game.