Islanders hold off Hurricanes in must-win Game 5, bring series back to Long Island

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Brock Nelson scored by knocking in an airborne puck that had bounced off the face of Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, and the New York Islanders added two goals that came off turnovers, beating the Hurricanes 3-2 on Tuesday night and extending their first-round playoff series.

The Islanders trailed 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, but staved off elimination by scoring the game’s first two goals and never trailing while playing in front of a rowdy crowd eager to see the Hurricanes become the first team to advance to this year’s second round.

Nelson’s goal stood out. He swung at the puck after it had struck Aho near the mouth and was falling to the ice, batting it past Antti Raanta near the post early in the second period for a wild score.

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Brock Nelson #29 of the New York Islanders celebrates with goal with teammates against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period of the Eastern Conference Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on April 25, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)

Pierre Engvall scored midway through the first period after getting a 1-on-1 shot at Raanta off Carolina's failed clear, while Mathew Barzal took a turnover by Martin Necas the other way to beat Raanta late in the second for the 3-1 lead.

Ilya Sorokin weathered a strong first period from Carolina to finish with 34 saves as New York sent the series back to UBS Arena for Friday’s Game 6.

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Aho — who exited to the locker room briefly after Nelson's goal —