NHL playoffs 2019: Islanders should turn to Thomas Greiss for Game 4

Just to be clear, Robin Lehner did absolutely nothing wrong Wednesday night. The Vezina Trophy finalist may tell you otherwise and he shouldered the blame, but no one else would point their finger at him.

He made the right play in the third period with the game tied as he tried to move the puck up the boards; a puck that is one inch thick and three inches in diameter. In comparison, the shaft of a hockey stick is probably a half an inch to an inch thick all around.

That's how close Lehner came to getting the puck away from his net. As they say, it's a game of inches in the postseason, and in this particular moment, Sebastian Aho had the edge. He made a play that would not happen nine out of 10 times. 

This one time, however, Aho knocked the puck out of midair. The Islanders netminder couldn't get back in position as Aho passed to Justin Williams, who netted the game-winning goal. 

Again, there's no faulting Lehner there, but the Islanders are now trailing 3-0 in the best-of-seven series. Given the desperation, Islanders coach Barry Trotz should make a change in net to Thomas Greiss.

While riding a hot goalie is one mindset for NHL coaches, in this case, a change may help spark the Islanders' offense — and Greiss is more than capable of backstopping the team.

New York's two netminders combined to win the William M. Jennings Trophy as they put up comparable regular-season stats: Lehner posted a 2.13 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, Greiss a 2.28 GAA and .927 save percentage.

The one area where they differ is in their stats against the Hurricanes.

Lehner entered the series 0-4-0 in his career against Carolina with a 4.25 GAA and .885 save percentage — not great numbers, especially when you compare them to Greiss, who posted a 1.76 GAA and .949 save percentage in four games vs. the Hurricanes this season. In 14 career games against Carolina, the Isles' current backup is 8-4-1 with a 2.57 GAA and .923 save percentage. 

Greiss also has playoff experience: He was the Isles' No.1 goalie in 2016 when he started 11 games and went 5-6 with a 2.46 GAA and .923 save percentage.

Trotz has shown he isn't afraid to make a change in the postseason. Last year, he switched goalies and Braden Holtby — who started the postseason on the bench — became a Capitals legend.

While changes up front could certainly help alter New York's postseason, making a move in net, especially to a fully competent goalie, is an easy one. The Islanders need to do something to send this series back to Brooklyn. Whether Greiss can help turn tide is anyone's guess, but Trotz did indicate Thursday that he is considering lineup changes — including in goal.