Islanders finish off Penguins 3-1 for stunning playoff sweep
PITTSBURGH — Barry Trotz had questions when he took over the New York Islanders last summer. About the defence. About the goaltending. About where the scoring would come from if star John Tavares bailed in free agency.
One by one over the last 10 months, the Islanders have answered them all. The team that couldn’t stop anyone a year ago is now the team that stops nearly everyone — Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins included.
Four games. Four wins, each one more impressive than the next, culminating in a typically gritty 3-1 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday night that finished off a stunning sweep of the Penguins and sent the Islanders into the second round of the playoffs for just the second time in 26 years.
“It’s not like we came in and thought we were going to win it in four games,” said New York goaltender Robin Lehner, who stopped 135 of the 141 shots he faced in the series, including 32 of 33 in the clincher. “But we felt confident coming in playing against these guys. We really did.”