[jg2977]

The Hartford Whalers thought they were gonna coast tonight, right? But the Long Island Islanders weren’t havin’ it. Alfonso Jaime comes up in the 9th inning with two outs and absolutely drills a three-run double to tie it up. I mean, talk about clutch! That’s the kind of hit that keeps your heart pounding and your head spinning. But, and this is a big but… that’s about all the Whalers could manage offensively.
Now, fast-forward to the top of the 10th. Here comes Warming Bernabel—this guy, he steps up and unloads a solo homer. Just like that, the game’s over. Islanders take it 6-5 in extras. That’s textbook pressure play, folks. You gotta love the resilience of Long Island. They battled back, they stayed poised, and they took advantage of every opportunity.
On the mound, Raul Casarez for Long Island was solid—7 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs. He kept the Whalers in check long enough for that late-inning heroics to pay off. And for Hartford, the bullpen gave it a shot but just couldn’t hold it together in the extra frames.
Bottom line: Islanders now lead the series 3-1, just one win away from the Conference Finals. Whalers, you gotta regroup—can’t rely on a clutch hit here and there. Long Island’s coming, and they’re coming hungry.
Next game Thursday at UBS Arena. And let me tell ya, it’s gonna be a showdown. Extra innings, pressure situations, playoff hockey at its finest. Boom! That’s how you do it.