Seth Jarvis, who had two assists, scored an empty-net aim with 1:39 remaining for the 6-3 ultimate.
“I imply, that is only a robust solution to lose a sport,” Islanders captain Anders Lee mentioned. “We had been grinding again, stayed within the battle all evening. We believed what we had been doing, believed we had been going to win this hockey sport, and two bounces like that that. … It is robust to swallow, however that is the way it goes generally.”
Evgeny Kuznetsov had a aim and an help, and Frederik Andersen made 22 saves for the Hurricanes, who’re the No. 2 seed from the Metropolitan Division.
Carolina will play the New York Rangers, who swept the Washington Capitals, within the second spherical.
“The beginning of the sport was nice. That not less than received us a pleasant lead,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour mentioned. “They’d their push, and also you’ve received to provide [the Islanders] plenty of credit score. They only stored coming. We needed to play rather well to win this sequence.
“It’s laborious to win a playoff spherical. Typically you neglect that. I’m pleased with the group as a result of that’s an excellent accomplishment, however that’s not what we’re taking pictures for.”
Mike Reilly, Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas scored for the Islanders, who had been the No. 3 seed from the Metropolitan. Varlamov made 32 saves.
“I’m very pleased with this group as a result of they had been resilient,” New York coach Patrick Roy mentioned. “I imply, even tonight they present that. That is how they had been all yr. I imply, it might have been straightforward to pack it in, and it is not what we did.
“I really feel like we deserve higher. I believed we performed some good hockey in that sequence. Shedding in 5, I really feel like we deserve a bit of bit higher, and I am not saying we must always have gained that sequence, (however) I am saying that we might go dwelling proper now and play sport No. 6 simply, and as a substitute it is over.”
Carolina took a 1-0 lead on its first shot of the sport at 1:23 of the primary interval. Teuvo Teravainen took a move from Jarvis and scored underneath the left arm of Varlamov from a pointy angle.