2013 NHL Playoffs: 5 Keys to Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders Series

2013 NHL Playoffs: 5 Keys to Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders Series

The 2013 NHL Playoffs are upon us, and for the first time in five seasons the New York Islanders are a part of it as the No. 8 seed will take on the No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Penguins starting Wednesday.

It’s been 20 years since the Islanders last won a playoff series, and that series win 20 years ago just so happened to be against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins in the second round. That was a long time ago, but fans of both teams certainly remember.

Now in 2013, the Islanders keyed a great April into a playoff berth. Unfortunately for New York, a few bad breaks in the final week moved them out of the No. 6 seed and down to No. 8 to set up this tough matchup with the Pens.

Pittsburgh was tied for the league lead in wins with 36 and first in scoring with 3.38 goals per game. The Penguins went 4-1 against the Islanders this season, outscoring them 15-9 in the five games.

As in every playoff series, there are a few key aspects that can sway the series in either direction. While the Islanders face tough odds, hockey is one sport where an eighth seed can actually defeat a top seed, but they will need a lot of things to break their way.

Star center Sidney Crosby has already been ruled out for Game 1 and has no timetable for a return while star center for the Isles John Tavares has been in top form all season and ready for his first taste of the playoffs. Here are five keys to this opening round series.

Power Play

The Penguins are better than the Islanders in the majority of key team stats, and that includes power play scoring. Pittsburgh was second in the league with 42 power play goals. The Islanders were also in the top 10 in the league with 31 and were one of just two teams to not allow one short-handed goal all season.

Goaltending

While it goes without saying, the play of goalies Evgeni Nabokov and Marc-Andre Fleury will be a huge part of this series. The two both had 23 wins this season while Fleury had the edge with a 2.39 goals allowed average over Nabokov’s 2.50. Nabby, however, was one of the best in April with a 1.76 GAA. Nabokov is one of the few on the Islanders with significant playoff experience and will have to be a leader in order for the team to stay competitive. Fleury will look to bounce back from a dreadful 2012 postseason in which he allowed 26 goals in six games.

Sidney Crosby's Health

The Penguins’ star hasn’t played since March 30, against the Islanders, when he injured his jaw. He won’t play in Game 1, and there’s currently no timetable for his return. There’s no doubt the Penguins are a much more dangerous team with Crosby on the ice, but even without him they are still a very good team. They went 8-4 since he went down, which shows that while they are still very good they may not be elite and could be vulnerable without their star.

Home Ice

The Penguins have the home ice advantage in the series, and winning home games is vital to both team’s success. Both arenas are very tough to play in. While the Penguins were 18-6 both at home and on the road, the Islanders were 14-6-4 away while going just 10-11-3 at home. All the Pens have to do is control home ice and the series is theirs.

Experience

This playoff appearance marks the seventh straight for the Penguins, and plenty of key players on this team were on the 2009 Stanley Cup Championship team. Meanwhile, most of the Islander squad is making its postseason debut, aside from the veteran goalie Nabokov who has played in 80 games. There’s no doubt the Pens have the playoff experience and will try to use that to their advantage.