With a dominant performance throughout the shortened 2013 regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins entered the Stanley Cup playoffs as a heavy favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals.
Through 4 games in the postseason however, the Penguins are in a 2-2 tie with an extremely potent New York Islanders squad. With the ability to score in bunches, New York evened the series at 2 with a 6-4 home ice victory in Game 4.
Shifting back to Pittsburgh, the series will resume Thursday, May 9th at 7:00pm, EDT. Coverage will be provided for fans through the NBC Sports Network.
While Pittsburgh has looked dominant at certain points in the first round series, the New York Islanders have received contributions from all across their roster. Talented winger Colin McDonald is one of the reasons for the team's success this postseason and he is certainly pleased with the overall effort of his mates.
"The last three games have been really good, especially our 5-on-5 play," McDonald said to NHL.com reporters. "Just continue to get pucks in and just play physical and get pucks to the net, just play a simple game. We're just a gritty team. We have skilled guys, but I think we play our best when we all play the same way, and that's just playing simple."
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New York has undoubtedly gelled at the perfect time as the series heads back to Pittsburgh for a crucial Game 5.
Knowing his team is held in such high regard around the league, Pittsburgh defenseman Paul Martin recognizes the team needs to toss expectations aside and play their brand of hockey.
"With all the expectations that we have and with the way things have been going, even after Game 1 I think everyone expected it to be an easy series," Martin said to NHL.com. It's something that we as players definitely didn't. We can't change anything about what's happened already. It's a best-out-of-3 now. We're confident in the group that we have."
Pittsburgh will need a better effort moving forward, especially on the defensive end as the unit surrendered 6 goals in the Game 4 loss to New York.
Struggling mightily this postseason, the Pens will make a change in net as they pull regular starter Marc-Andre Fleury in favor of 36-year-old Tomas Vokoun. For the first time since 2001, Pittsburgh will have someone other than Fleury in net to start a postseason contest.
"We brought Tomas Vokoun in to play big games for us," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said to CBS Sports.
Pittsburgh will certainly need Vokoun to play big as they hope to slow down an Islander offense that's racked up 14 goals in 3 games since being shutout in Game 1.
Control of the series will shift one way or the other depending on the outcome in Game 5.
The puck will drop in this crucial swing game at 7:00pm, EDT from the Consol Energy Arena in Pittsburgh. Television coverage will be provided by the NBC Sports Network.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS from New York's 6-4 in Game 4:
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