Strome Celebrates: Ryan Strome celebrates his game-winner in the Islanders’ 4-1 win over the Capitals in Game 1.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

If the start was any indication, the Islanders have erased the end of the regular season from their memory banks. They convincingly took Game 1 over the Capitals 4-1 at a very quiet Verizon Center on the first night of the NHL Playoffs. Just like that, they took home ice away from Washington. You can bet when the series shifts to Nassau Coliseum, it will be rocking.

The best aspect of the Islanders victory was it was their inexperienced players who came to the forefront. Three of their four goals were scored by players making their NHL playoff debuts. Brock Nelson scored twice and Ryan Strome notched the game-winner. Josh Bailey had a key insurance marker and assist as the Isles established themselves in a well played 60-minute effort against a surprisingly listless Caps.

On a night where captain John Tavares had an assist, it was the trio of Nelson, Strome and Bailey who did all the scoring. Interestingly, they entered last night with seven combined postseason games and zero goals. That didn’t stop them from being huge factors.

”I liked their composure, the way they held their emotions in check, and they came up big for us tonight,” Isles’ coach Jack Capuano said. ”They skated. And, you know, they played with confidence and poise. And they’ve done that all year.”

Capuano also had to like that Jaroslav Halak was solid finishing with 24 saves. The only goal he allowed was to Marcus Johansson in the final minute of the first period allowing the Caps to tie it 1-1. He was an adventure coming out of the net turning over the puck and never got set for Johansson’s tally from Brooks Laich. Outside of another puck adventure that almost allowed Washington to get within one with Braden Holtby on the bench for an extra attacker, Halak was steady.

”Any time they were able to get some quality chances, (Halak) was there to shut the door,” Bailey said.

The Islanders did a good job blanketing Alex Ovechkin. Even though the league’s leading goalscorer got eight shots through which Halak handled, they made him work for it. During most shifts, he was surrounded by two Islanders. Even when Washington coach Barry Trotz flipped Nicklas Backstrom with Evgeny Kuznetsov for a few shifts with Ovechkin, the Isles were able to defend well. They also were disciplined only taking two penalties. The improved penalty kill was perfect doing a solid job limiting Ovechkin’s time and space.

From the outset, the Isles were sharp. Even with the Caps trying to establish their physicality, it didn’t stop the Islanders from hitting back. Capuano’s fourth line of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck cycled effectively while finishing checks. They are the kind of line that can succeed in the playoffs. Able to bring energy and generate scoring chances, that trio can’t be overlooked if the Isles advance.

One area they were better at was taking advantage of their chances. Nelson scored his first career playoff goal in transition from Bailey and Johnny Boychuk at 6:06. Troy Brouwer turned over the puck in the neutral zone. Boychuk moved the puck to Bailey, who gained the Caps zone and dished for Nelson, whose unscreened shot from the right circle eluded Holtby. It wasn’t a good goal for the Caps’ netminder to allow.

For a majority of the first, the Islanders controlled the play. They played a smart road period taking the crowd out of it. Even with Ovechkin and Brooks Orpik delivering big hits, the Isles were able to outshoot the Caps 11-7. They really were in control until Halak’s mistake in the final minute which allowed Johansson to tie it at 19:03.

Despite that, they retook the lead early in the second. Following an icing, Tavares won a clean draw to Strome, who stepped to the right and fired a quick wrister that surprised Holtby beating him short side. It was the second bad goal he allowed. Judging from the fan reaction, it was deflating. A notorious loud crowd never really got into it. Their team didn’t respond well.

Josh Bailey beats Braden Holtby for his first of the playoffs.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

Bailey was able to increase the Isles’ lead to 3-1 when he got to a Kyle Okposo rebound and chipped the puck over Holtby at 10:36. Frans Nielsen, who started the play, picked up the secondary helper.

”There might have been question marks outside of the dressing room. I think us guys in here believe in one another, believe in what we have, and I think that tonight was an example of that,” Bailey added.

The Islanders were able to shutdown the Capitals. There was no comeback. When they needed a big save, Halak was there. That’s a big positive. He’ll need to be at his best. In Game 1, he outplayed Holtby who permitted three goals on 26 shots.

”We’re going to have to be a lot sharper. That goes right through the whole lineup,” Trotz said. ”I thought from our top guys to our role players, there wasn’t too many sharp guys.”

”Our desperation level could be a little bit better than it was tonight,” Orpik added. ”They looked like they had a little more urgency than we did.”

Even better, they won without Travis Hamonic. Thomas Hickey gave them valuable minutes combining with Lubomir Visnovsky to finish plus-four. Boychuk handled the big shifts logging 23:05 with four shots, three blocked shots and a plus-one rating teamed with Nick Leddy. Calvin de Haan and Brian Strait were fine.

With his team still down two with two minutes left, Trotz sent Holtby to the bench for a 6-on-5. The Caps had a couple of keeps but weren’t able to get much aside from a Halak misplay that almost led to a goal. Maybe he should stay in the net instead of giving Islander fans panic attacks.

Eventually, a good defensive play by Michael Grabner allowed rookie Anders Lee to clear the puck down the ice. Nelson outraced a Cap and scored into an empty net for the final margin.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Ryan Strome, NYI (game-winning goal, 2 SOG in 23 shifts-15:51)

2nd Star-Josh Bailey, NYI (goal, assist, 3 SOG, +2 in 23 shifts-15:11)

1st Star-Brock Nelson, NYI (2 goals, 5 SOG, +2 in 22 shifts-13:17)

Notes: The teams combined for 82 hits with the Caps holding a 46-36 edge. Orpik paced everyone with nine while Martin led the Isles with eight. … Despite losing the faceoff battle 39-23, Tavares had a huge win that resulted in Strome’s game-winner. He went 9-and-11. Nielsen was 7-and-6. Backstrom led the Caps finishing 14-and-6. Michael Latta was 7-and-2. … Ovechkin, Backstrom and Joel Ward were each minus-two. Karl Alzner went minus-three and Matt Niskanen was on for all four goals against. … Game 2 is Friday at 7 PM.

Key Stats

Blocked shots NYI 19 (Boychuk, Strait 3 each) WSH 17 (Orpik, Karl Alzner 4 each)

Giveaways NYI 5 WSH 11