Seth Jarvis scored twice Sunday afternoon for the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, who took a commanding lead in an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series by beating the New York Islanders 5-2 in Game 4 in Elmont, N.Y.
The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven series three games to one and can close out the Islanders in Game 5, scheduled for Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho and Mackenzie MacEachern also scored for the Hurricanes, who went 2-for-5 on the power play after going 1-for-10 on the man advantage in the previous two games. Goalie Antti Raanta made 27 saves.
Adam Pelech and Bo Horvat scored in the third for the Islanders. Goalie Ilya Sorokin recorded 24 saves.
The Islanders collected the game’s first five shots before committing four penalties in the first period, two of which yielded power-play goals for the Hurricanes.
Zach Parise (goalie interference) and Ryan Pulock (boarding on Jack Drury, who did not return with an upper-body injury) drew penalties within a 49-second span to start the 5-on-3 that led to the Hurricanes’ first goal.
Stefan Noesen corralled a loose puck in front of Sorokin and passed to Jarvis, who sent a shot past a sprawling Scott Mayfield into the left corner of the net at 4:05 as Sorokin was across the crease.
Matt Martin was whistled for roughing MacEachern during a fracas at the buzzer to generate the power play that resulted in the Hurricanes’ second goal just 1:15 into the middle period. Noesen collected another assist when he sent a no-look pass from the goal line across the crease to Necas, whose shot sailed beyond Sorokin’s glove.
Aho extended the lead to 3-0 with 6:30 left. The center pounced on the puck when Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov whiffed in an attempt to send a shot up the ice. Aho dished to MacEachern, who backhanded a pass beyond a sliding Pulock to Aho before he sent a shot over Sorokin’s stick.
Jarvis scored on a breakaway 1:20 into the third before Pelech capped a flurry in front of the Hurricanes’ net to ensure the Islanders would not be shut out at the 3:14 mark. MacEachern added another insurance goal with 5:59 remaining.
–Field Level Media
