The Islanders had come to a conclusion well before Monday night that they were going to have a real, bona fide chance to win the Stanley Cup. Over the past week, it had gone from a distant and nebulous idea to something entirely concrete.
Yet the waiting game continued with the Hurricanes extending their first-round series, beating the Capitals, 5-2, in Game 6 on Monday night in Carolina, forcing a decisive Game 7 for Wednesday night in Washington. That is likely going to push back Game 1 for the Islanders second-round series until either Friday or Saturday, with the possibilities of starting in Washington or at home against Carolina.