Neil Best

The thrilling, come-from-behind, 3-2 overtime victory will go down in Nassau Coliseum lore, as will the smell of beer left behind after the chaotic celebration.

It's not just about keeping their playoff hopes alive, but about - at a minimum - giving a quality performance in the potential final playoff game at Nassau Coliseum. 

The Lightning's 8-0 victory in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinal was more than thorough. It was thoroughly embarrassing for the visiting team, the most lopsided playoff loss in the Islanders' nearly half-century history.

On making this run with fans at the Coliseum one last time, Trotz said, "It's everything that we thought it would be."

His game-saving —and possibly season-saving — save in the final seconds of Game 4 joins an elite list of memorable New York plays. 

Martin scored his first goal of the playoffs and was named the game's first star in crucial win.

The historical wrinkle of Saturday's home playoff games is that the two franchises have a long, entwined history, which some of the time would have meant that a night such as this was a logistical impossibility.

Perhaps inserting Oliver Wahlstrom into the lineup would give the Isles the boost they need.

Asking the Islanders to win three out of four games in the Stanley Cup semifinals against the defending champs is asking a lot.

The Coliseum has done its job, better than anyone could have imagined when this saga began.