Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders: 1st playoff game at Elmont [Round 1, Game 3 thread]

It’s a must-win in every sense of the word other than, well, technically they wouldn’t be done just yet.

But the New York Islanders, braking in their new arena in Elmont for its first-ever playoff game, will want to make it a raucous barnburner for more reasons than the historic occasion. After losing both games in Carolina to open the series — the second one a frustrating, grievance-inducing heartbreaker — they need this one to maintain a pulse in this series, and to prevent Sunday from becoming a sad matinee.

If Alex Romanov remains out, then Parker Wotherspoon will slot in for Samuel Bolduc, who’s not been much trusted thus far. (And hey: If we get another historic game with zero power plays for one side, there’d not be much of a role for him, either.)

This is our in-game chat. Though many of our commentariat will be at the game, there’s still lots of strays like us who have to watch on TV.