They’re over it.
It was a raucous scene at the Coliseum on Wednesday night, when the Islanders took Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Penguins with a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory.
But despite the surprising playoff berth, and despite such an emotional high from that opening salvo, the attitude was business as usual for Thursday’s practice in the lead-up to Friday night’s Game 2 on Hempstead Turnpike.
“I think it’s pretty easy,” said Josh Bailey, the Game 1 hero when he batted in a loose puck 4:39 into the extra frame. “We have a pretty veteran group. We understand that at the end of the day, it’s one game. It’s really pretty easy to turn the page. It was a tight game, playoff-type game for sure. It could have gone either way and we were happy we got the win. But it’s only going to get tougher.”
Nobody needs to tell coach Barry Trotz about how good the Penguins are at making adjustment in-series, as Trotz has faced them in each of the previous three postseasons while coaching the Capitals — winning one and losing two. Wednesday’s Game 1 was the 20th postseason game he has coached against Mike Sullivan’s squad, and Trotz made it clear to his new team that winning one game is no reason to celebrate.
see also
Inside Lou Lamoriellos master plan making Islanders noise
It’s a hard-worn phrase in the Canon of Lou Lamoriello,…
“[The Penguins] are going to be coming at you,” Trotz said. “Their top players are going to be their top players [Friday] night, they rise to those occasions. We have to rise with it.
“We can’t be comfortable. We just won one game. You pat yourself on the back when the series is done, if you can. But until then, just keep going forward, forget about yesterday, and make sure that you’re extremely focused and prepared to bring your best.”
The ability to stay even-keeled has been a staple this season under Trotz, but is in stark contrast to the Islanders teams of recent vintage. Bailey is one of the players who was there for those tumultuous times, but those are in the past along with Game 1.
“We don’t spend any time thinking about that. We’re in the now,” Bailey said. “We’ve built all training camp and all season to get to this point. We have a belief in our system and ourselves. That’s where we’re at.”
Taking a 2-0 lead going into Pittsburgh for Game 3 on Sunday afternoon would be quite a step for the Islanders to win just their second playoff series since 1993. But if the Penguins managed to split the first two at the Coliseum, they would probably feel like they had the upper hand going home to their own rowdy arena.
Neither team is getting too far in front of itself, which is the mentality that got each of them to this point in the first place.
“Don’t look back. That one is done,” Trotz said. “You better look forward.”