Islanders defenseman Andy Greene (4) celebrates his goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Credit: AP/Frank Gunn
If there was a pool for which player would score the first goal for the Islanders in their second-round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers, Andy Greene likely would not have been the favorite to win it.
The mild-mannered defenseman with the grey beard hadn’t scored a playoff goal in over 10 years when the Isles and Flyers faced off in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Monday in Toronto. But it was the 5-11, 190-pound Greene, hardly known for a cannon slap shot, who opened the scoring in the Isles’ 4-0 victory in Game 1 Monday night when he took a return pass from Brock Nelson and whacked a slapper from just inside the blue line that snaked its way through traffic and somehow beat Philadelphia goaltender Carter Hart on the glove side at 6:06 of the first period.