The next 40 minutes will show if the first 20 minutes in Game 1 of Penguins – Islanders was an adrenaline rush type of period from the New York Islanders where they were the faster, more physical team or whether it was a sign of things to come? Where New York impressed was their patience with the puck in playing with speed but also waiting for plays to develop. In leading 2-1 after 20 minutes, the Islanders created 8 high danger chances and had Pittsburgh doing a lot of running around in period one.

On the heels of a Tom Kuhnhackl goal being overturned 33 seconds in, the Islanders with a ferocious forecheck kept coming and Pittsburgh got caught in no mans land defensively as Jordan Eberle left all alone in front struck 1:40 into the game to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead on a goal that stood this time around. Pittsburgh had great difficult in dealing with the Isles speed, energy game in the early moments but a Phil Kessel goal at 5:42 of the period from the slot tied the game at 1-1. A controlled zone entry saw Dominik Simon beat the Islanders neutral zone trap and Kessel bury one past Lehner. This was a goal that stopped the bleeding as New York looked primed to go up 2-0.

The Kessel goal saw Pittsburgh start carrying the play a bit until late in the period where the Islanders drew an offensive zone penalty and Brock Nelson would score a power play goal with 4:14 left in the period.

Pittsburgh outshot New York 17-12 in the period and that’s good news for Pittsburgh in creating shot opportunites, but the scoring chances, high-danger chances were in the Islanders favor and Pittsburgh has to sure up their d-zone play in period two where at 5-on-5 and on the one penalty kill, too many players are leaving their lanes. The Islanders forecheck looked to have the Penguins rattled a bit in the first.