There will be a Game 7 to decide the Eastern Conference finals.
Facing elimination for the first time this postseason, Craig Anderson and the Senators weathered a relentless Penguins attack that piled up seven goals two days earlier and emerged from Tuesday’s Game 6 as 2-1 winners, pushing their roller-coaster series to an all-decisive final game.
Anderson faced 46 shots and stopped 45 of them. Pittsburgh’s lone goal came early in the second period, moments after a controversial coach’s challenge negated another.
Evgeni Malkin’s seventh goal and NHL-leading 24th point of the playoffs came on an impressive individual effort in front put the Penguins ahead 1-0.
To make this deal, Islanders general manager Garth Snow had to first clear cap space to fit Eberle in, while also finding a way to keep Vegas from selecting Strome, a 2011 first-round pick, in Wednesday’s expansion draft. He accomplished both in one big trade with Vegas, sending the club’s first-round pick in this year’s draft, a second-rounder in 2019, defense prospect Jake Bischoff and injured forward Mikhail Grabovksi who has a $5 million cap hit to the Golden Knights. In return, Vegas agreed not to select Strome or other attractive young Islanders Brock Nelson, Josh Bailey and Calvin de Haan, choosing third-string goalie J.F. Berube instead.
Strome, who recorded only 28 and 30 points the past two seasons after a breakthrough 2014-15 in which he notched 50 points, has a $2.5 salary cap hit heading into RFA status next summer. Though a disappointment in New York, Strome is still only 23 and was a prolific point-producer during his junior career.