Islanders Look to Home Crowd for Boost in Game 3 Against Hurricanes

The New York Islanders are aiming to leverage their home crowd advantage at UBS Arena in Game 3 of their NHL playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. The Islanders trail the series 2-0 after a heartbreaking 5-3 loss in Game 2, where they blew a 3-0 lead.

Islanders captain Anders Lee acknowledged the team's emotions after the loss, but said they need to turn the page and focus on the next steps. "It's tough. It stings. It's emotional," Lee said. "But we have to regroup here and turn our focus to our home ice and our fans and the energy that we know they're going to bring."

Head coach Patrick Roy, who has extensive playoff experience as a player, stressed the significance of the home crowd advantage at UBS Arena for Game 3. Roy shared examples from his playing days, where his teams were able to rally at home and turn the momentum of a series.

Why this matters: The Islanders face a must-win situation in Game 3 to avoid falling into a nearly insurmountable 3-0 series deficit. The energy and support of the home crowd at UBS Arena could provide a vital boost as the Islanders look to get back into the series.

The Islanders held a spirited 45-minute practice on Wednesday, focusing on breakouts and other areas of improvement. The team will also turn to goaltender Ilya Sorokin for Game 3, with Roy stating that Sorokin is "coming in in the perfect scenario" as the Islanders look to bounce back.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will be without defenseman Brett Pesce, who left Game 2 with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss the remainder of the series. The Hurricanes are still deciding on their Game 3 starting goaltender.

Game 3 is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. The Islanders will be looking to use the energy of their passionate fans to turn the series around and avoid falling into a deep hole against the favored Hurricanes.

Key Takeaways

• Islanders trail Hurricanes 2-0 in playoff series, aim to leverage home crowd in Game 3.
• Islanders captain Lee acknowledges team's emotions after blowing 3-0 lead in Game 2 loss.
• Coach Roy stresses home crowd advantage at UBS Arena, Islanders turn to goalie Sorokin.
• Hurricanes to be without defenseman Pesce, undecided on Game 3 starting goaltender.
• Islanders face must-win Game 3 to avoid 3-0 series deficit against favored Hurricanes.