National Hockey League
NY Islanders 4, Pittsburgh 1
When: 12:00 PM ET, Sunday, April 14, 2019
Where: PPG PAINTS Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Referees: Dan O'Rourke, Tim Peel
Linesmen: Trent Knorr, Pierre Racicot
Attendance: 18610

Jordan Eberle scored his third goal in as many games Sunday as the New York Islanders took a commanding lead in their first-round playoff series with a 4-1 win over the host Pittsburgh Penguins.

Brock Nelson, Leo Komarov and Anders Lee also scored for the Islanders, who took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. New York spotted Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead before netting four unanswered goals.

The Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, continued to be thwarted by the Islanders' stifling pressure and the play of goaltender Robin Lehner, who made 25 saves Sunday.

Garrett Wilson scored for Pittsburgh, which has gotten no points in the series from Sidney Crosby -- who had 100 points in the regular season -- or his linemate, 40-goal scorer Jake Guentzel.

Goaltender Matt Murray stopped 32 New York shots.

The Islanders hold an 11-5 goals edge in the series.

Pittsburgh took a short-lived lead at 12:54 of the first period. Just after a Penguins power play expired, Marcus Pettersson launched a shot from the left point. Wilson, part of a crowd in front of the crease, reached out to chop the puck down past Lehner to make it 1-0 for his first career playoff goal.

Eberle tied it 28 seconds later. From a sharp angle near the bottom of the left circle, he threaded a shot behind Murray.

Nelson gave New York a 2-1 lead 1:02 after Eberle's goal. As Pittsburgh defenseman Justin Schultz pinched in along the left-wing boards, Nelson forced Crosby to turn the puck over, leading to a New York two-on-one. Nelson kept the puck and, from the right circle, beat Murray far side.

Pittsburgh's top line got a three-on-one in the waning seconds of the first, but Guentzel's pass to set up Dominik Simon near the left post was in Simon's skates, and he did not get off a clean shot.

Komarov gave New York a 3-1 lead at 10:27 of the third. Anthony Beauvillier corralled a loose puck in the neutral zone and got it to Valtteri Filppula. He fed Komarov, who beat Murray short side from the right circle.

Lee added an empty-netter with 1:28 remaining.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
NY Islanders   Pittsburgh
Valtteri Filppula 2 Points Garrett Wilson 1
Jordan Eberle 1 Goals Garrett Wilson 1
Valtteri Filppula 2 Assists Marcus Pettersson 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Robin Lehner .962 Save Percentage Matt Murray .914
Robin Lehner 25 Saves Matt Murray 32
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
NY Islanders 36 4 0-2 3-3 8 26
Pittsburgh 26 1 0-3 2-2 6 29
Upcoming Games
  • Pittsburgh will play their next game at home against NY Islanders. The Penguins have a W/L % of .523 after a win and .553 after a loss.
  • NY Islanders will play their next game on the road against Pittsburgh. The Islanders have a W/L % of .532 after a win and .657 after a loss.