The New York Islanders have had an up and down season, because early in the season they were near the top of the Eastern Conference, ahead of the New York Rangers and everyone else in the race for home ice advantage in the playoffs and for the President's Trophy. But they had fallen apart defensively and just didn't have enough to get the wins they needed to stay on top, but they did have enough to make the postseason. They now were feeling additional pressure, being down 3-2 in the best of 7 opening round series against the Washington Capitals. 

But some of that pressure would be quickly relieved as these teams were furiously going after each other. Plus it really helped when John Tavares scored the opening goal of game 6, just 6:56 into the opening period to light up the lamp behind Braden Holtby. Tavares was assisted by Ryan Strome and Nick Leddy to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. But later in the period Tavares would get called for slashing and had to head to the sin bin. The Capitals would take advantage of this when John Carlson scored the power play goal with just 5 seconds remaining in the opening period. He was assisted by both Alex Ovechkin and Troy Brouwer. This would mean that it was tied up at 1 after the opening period. 

One thing that was clear in the second period is just how much these teams dislike each other, because after 3 minor penalties against the Islanders in the first period, the two teams combined for a grand total of 20 penalty minutes in the second period. The Islanders attempted to take advantage as they had more shots on goal in the period 17-10. But both Braden Holtby and Jaroslav Halak were fantastic in goal despite both teams getting their shots in on them. There were no goals in the second period of this game as it headed to the final period, still tied up at 1-1. 

Nikolay Kulemin would wind up being the hero of game 6 though, as midway through the second period he would score a second goal for the Islanders. Being assisted by Nick Leddy and John Tavares. Tavares had gotten hit hard in the corner getting the puck back to Leddy who found Kulemin right in front of the goal with no defenders around him. It was a defensive lapse for the Capitals as the Islanders would go back in the lead 2-1. There was a very close call for the Islanders at the 14:27 mark of the final period as Jay Beagle had gotten the puck past Halak, but it hit the crossbar and never actually went through and into the goal. Then the Capitals went for it with the empty goal and would give up the additional goal when Cal Clutterbuck scored the empty netter. 

The two teams will play game 7 on Monday, April 27 at 7:30 PM ET at the Verizon Center back in Washington, DC. 

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About the author
Caleb Wahlgren
I will not deny that I am a big fan of the Green Bay Packers. But I love the NFL and want to see the very best for it.