NHL playoffs 2019: Islanders become first team since 1993 to be swept after sweeping previous round

Rudi Schuller

NHL playoffs 2019: Islanders become first team since 1993 to be swept after sweeping previous round image

The euphoria of the first round didn't last long for the New York Islanders.

In fact, it only lasted the minimum amount of time possible.

After sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Islanders were swept themselves after losing 5-2 on Friday to the Carolina Hurricanes. The loss sealed a miserable second round for the Isles, who became just the ninth team in NHL history (and the first in 26 years) to lose a series 4-0 immediately after winning the previous series by the same margin.

Things actually started out OK for the Islanders on Friday, with early pressure from the opening puck drop paying off in the form of a go-ahead goal by Mathew Barzal just 2:30 into the game.

Barzal's early marker was the high point for New York. The Hurricanes tied the game just over two minutes later with an "own goal" by Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech that was credited to Carolina's Sebastian Aho.

Early in the second period, the Hurricanes struck twice in just over a minute to chase goaltender Robin Lehner from the contest, and from then on it was academic as Carolina cruised to victory in front of a raucous, record home crowd.

The Hurricanes move on to the Eastern Conference finals while the Islanders are left to figure out how it all went so wrong so quickly.

Rudi Schuller