Mathew Barzal #13 of the Islanders reacts after defeating the Boston Bruins in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It was a third period destined perhaps to define a season, and perhaps to extend an era.
The Islanders and Bruins were tied at 1 with 20 minutes to play in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night, and losing was not an option for the home team.
So the Islanders didn’t. Mathew Barzal scored with 6:57 left in the third period, and after two empty-net goals it was 4-1, with Game 5 in Boston and, yes, at least one more game at the Old Barn on Wednesday.