With a 3-0 hole, the series was on the brink for Pittsburgh Penguins who haven’t been swept since 2013. The New York Islanders hadn’t swept a team since 1983.
Remember (how could you forget), the Islanders weren’t supposed to be here. They were supposed to be dead and hoping for a first overall pick back in September.
But team defense, a singular goal, and a team playing as a single unit brought them to the playoffs. A 48-27-7 regular season record and 103 points weren’t expected but the Islanders delivered.
All that regular season success earned them a first-round date with the Pittsburgh Penguins who won two Stanley Cups in the last three years.