Julio Cortez/Associated Press
Heading to North Carolina down by two games to none to the pesky Hurricanes in the second round of the N.H.L. playoffs is not producing panic among the Islanders. They have been relentlessly resilient all season under Coach Barry Trotz.
These Islanders have made it their habit to wear down opponents with suffocating defense, stellar goaltending and enough opportunistic goals to win 48 regular-season games and four straight against the vaunted Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening playoff round.
They were able to stifle Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but the Hurricanes — who employ a similar defensive-minded style to the Islanders — have discovered a few seams.