“It’s over. It is all over.”
Those were the words of Howie Rose uttered while calling the John Tavares double-overtime series-clinching goal in Game 6 against Florida.
Those six words could have meant a number of things. The game was over. The series was over. And the Islanders’ 23-year drought of advancing past the first round of the playoffs was finally over. Howie’s intent was probably to hit home on all three, but in the back of his mind, perhaps he knew something else was over.