The annual chess match in the Stanley Cup Playoffs between Barry Trotz and Mike Sullivan has begun. But this time, the New York Islanders are facing the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs officially get underway on Wednesday, April 10. At 7:30 p.m. EST, the annual chess match between Barry Trotz and Mike Sullivan begins. Except this time, there are different pawns involved. The New York Islanders will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Coliseum. It will be aired on NBCSN, CBC, and TVAS2 nationally.
This is an interesting matchup because the two teams have completely different playing styles. While the Penguins like to play fast and score goals, the Islanders are at their best when they slow the game down and prevent goals against. The Pens play an up-tempo game while the Isles play something resembling the 2013-14 Kings system.
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Pittsburgh comes into the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve won 16 of their last 27 games, with merely six regulation losses during that span.
The Pens are led by captain Sidney Crosby. Phil Kessel quietly had one of the best seasons of his career. Evgeni Malkin hopes to rebound after failing to meet the insanely high expectations people have for him.
On the other side of the ice, the Islanders, despite having more points than the Pens, are sort of the underdogs. No one thought they would be in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but here they are.
The Isles are led by the NHL’s top defense, which is a credit to Trotz’s coaching. Robin Lehner had the best season of his career and should be getting some Vezina Trophy votes.
In this series, the goaltenders should be the difference makers. Lehner needs to be on top of his game to stop the Penguins’ dangerous scorers. Pens netminder Matt Murray has been excellent since December. He has an impressive postseason resume, helping Pittsburgh wins two Stanley Cups.
Live Stream Information
Date: Wednesday, April 10
Start Time: 7:30pm ET
Venue: Nassau Coliseum
Location: Uniondale, NY
TV Channel: NBCSN (USA); CBC, TVAS2 (Canada); MSG+, ATTSN-PT (Local)
Live Stream: Fubo.tv (subscription required, but you get a free trial), NBCSN
For more 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage, be sure to check out our Stanley Cup Playoffs page.