The crisp white sweaters did have the Islanders logo on them, but other than that, for 2 ½ periods the visiting team at PPG Paints Arena was unrecognizable on Monday night.
But that was before a series of plot twists in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series against the Penguins turned what looked like a clunker into a successful thriller.
Thanks mostly to a brilliant performance by rookie goaltender Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders escaped Pittsburgh by stealing a 3-2, double-overtime victory on Josh Bailey’s goal 51 seconds into the second extra period.
Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry attempted a long clearing pass and Bailey intercepted it and beat him to the glove side from the slot.