Pulock plays clutch as Islanders tie series

*Photo from Fox 16*

Series tied 2-2

   Needing a win to avoid falling behind 3-1 in their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the New York Islanders used a lot of skill, and just a little bit of luck. Josh Bailey scored, Matt Martin scored the winning goal, and the Islanders defeated the Lightning 3-2 on Saturday night, evening the series at 2-2. 

   They used their little bit of luck late in the game, which actually is what gave them the win. After goalie Semyon Varlamov was caught out of position after a save, Ryan McDonagh of the Lightning scooped up the rebound and had a wide open net to shoot on. He shot it, but all of a sudden, defenseman Ryan Pulock briefly played goalie, making a diving save on the puck with 2.7 seconds left, keeping New York in front.

   Pulock said "He made a heck of a play with the spin-o-rama, and the net was open. I just tried to make myself big and take it away and I was able to get it. Obviously you hear the sound of the clock go and all the boys jump on you, it's a good feeling."

   All of the Islanders skill came in a 3 goal second period. First, it was Bailey who scored his 6th goal of the playoffs 5:30 into the second, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Then, Mathew Barzal scored his 6th goal in his last 8 games at the 13:46 mark, making it 2-0 Islanders. With 2:03 remaining in the second, Martin scored to increase the lead to 3-0, which was enough for the win.

   Islanders coach Barry Trotz said "Our game was good. I know that we probably had more chances when I look at the game. Our 60-minute game was pretty decent other than the seven or eight minutes where they surged on us, and we had a surge earlier. This is what we expected, 2-2 going back to Tampa. It's a best of 3 now."

   Andrei Vasilevskiy got the loss in net for the Lightning, saving 27 of 30 shots for an even .900 save percentage, being unable to outduel Varlamov on the other side of the ice. The Lightning will have a chance to take a 3-2 series lead on Monday night, when they return home for game 5.

   Brayden Point started the scoring for the Lighting, scoring in his 7th straight game and his 12th goal of the playoffs, at 3:45 of the 3rd period, cutting the deficit to 3-1. Tyler Johnson then scored 3 minutes later, with his second goal of the playoffs making it a 3-2 Islanders lead, but they couldn't get anything past Varlamov after that.

   Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the 3 goal second period that "It was red rotten, that second period. These guys have given it their all for whatever it's been now, a month and change, and sometimes you lay an egg, and we laid one in the second period. It was unfortunate because you don't play well sometimes, the breaks don't go your way."

   Game 5 is on Monday night in Tampa Bay, with both teams having a chance to take a 3-2 series lead, moving one step closer to the Stanley Cup finals.