Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock celebrates his goal against the Lightning during the third period in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series Sunday in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Chris O'Meara
Uncle!
And I do not mean "Uncle Leo" Komarov. But now that I think about it, him, too!
The Islanders’ performance in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup semifinals against the Lightning on Sunday should erase once and for all the skepticism many of us who watch hockey have harbored about this team.
Scrappy? Yes. Disciplined? Yup. Balanced? Very. Well-coached? Absolutely. But even having conceded all of that, the conventional wisdom was that against powerhouses such as Boston and Tampa Bay, it would not be enough.