UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The first three games of this series were compelling theater, with intense battles and momentum swings and drama until the final buzzer.
Game 4 was anything but that, with the Penguins delivering a dud Saturday.
The New York Islanders were the better squad from start to finish as they tied the first-round playoff series at two games apiece with their 4-1 win over the Penguins at Nassau Coliseum. They again silenced Pittsburgh’s top line, got to Tristan Jarry and frustrated the Penguins’ stars with their relentless physicality.
Game 5 of the first-round playoff series is Monday back at PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins haven’t gotten enough from their top line during the series, with the defensive duo of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock putting on the clamps.
Sidney Crosby was a force in the first half of Game 1 and got on the board with that impressive one-handed deflection. He hasn’t tallied a point since then.
Jake Guentzel is taking a beating. It seems like every other shift he has to slowly pull himself up while the action heads the other way. He has had chances against the Islanders but has yet to score a goal. He has only one assist.
Bryan Rust has had a hard time fighting his way to the net, too. His lone goal in the series was the long-range shot Semyon Varlamov whiffed on in Game 2.
The Penguins were able to earn a split on Long Island because the other three lines all chipped in with at least one goal in their thrilling 5-4 win on Thursday.
But the secondary scoring wasn’t there for them in Game 4. Evgeni Malkin spent more time in the penalty box than he did in the offensive zone. Jeff Carter, who had a dozen goals in his first 17 games with the Penguins, had a quiet game. And in the loss they had just one power play, which they quickly squandered.
The Islanders took a 1-0 lead 8:07 into the second period on a goal from Josh Bailey. Prior to the shot, Kris Letang pushed Anthony Beauvillier into Jarry, who got jostled out of position. Jarry pleaded for the goal to get waved off but no luck.
The last two games, the Islanders invaded his territory, bumping him or buzzing through his crease any chance they got. The big bodies crowding him appear to be making him uncomfortable. He’s jabbed back in retaliation a few times.
Pulock pushed the lead to 2-0 with 5:09 left in the second period. Jarry kicked out a juicy rebound with his right pad. Pulock stepped up from the blue line and into a blast. His shot caromed off the skate Cody Ceci and behind Jarry.
The Penguins, looking to get back within a goal, went to the power play early in the third. But it got wiped out by a Jason Zucker penalty. Moments later, after Letang joined him in the box, the Islanders scored on a 4-on-3 power play. It was an own goal by Teddy Blueger, who accidentally tapped the puck into his net.
Jordan Eberle, left alone in front, scored 24 seconds later to make it 4-0.
The rowdy crowd at Nassau Coliseum serenaded the visiting goal with a loud “Jarry! Jarry! Jarry!” chant led by the New York Jets offensive line, who were in the crowd in Islanders gear along with recent No. 2 overall draft pick Zach Wilson.
Saturday’s loss was the third time in four games Jarry gave up four goals. He made 23 saves while getting outplayed by Ilya Sorokin down at the other end.
After Varlamov gave up five goals on 27 shots in Game 3, the Islanders turned back to Sorokin, who played well in New York’s Game 1 win. The rookie was tested right away as Kasperi Kapanen streaked in on goal but Sorokin turned his shot aside.
The Penguins had a few defensive breakdowns in the first period, but the Islanders couldn’t capitalize. Mathew Barzal, still looking for his first goal in this series, rang the post behind Jarry on an odd-man rush late in the scoreless period.
Early in the second period, Sorokin made his most important save of the afternoon when he sprawled across his crease in the second period to stuff Crosby.
The lone Penguins goal came late in the third period, when Zach Aston-Reese scored short-handed. It was the winger’s first career postseason goal.
