ELMONT, NY — When the New York Islanders face the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, they’ll host one of the NHL’s most relentless forechecking teams.
The Hurricanes don’t give opponents much time or space. They force turnovers, pressure puck carriers, and make teams earn every inch of ice.
To beat Carolina, the Islanders must match that intensity, win 1-on-1 battles, and execute under pressure.
If one player embodies exactly what the Islanders need tonight, it’s 20-year-old forward Victor Eklund, who made his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 82 last season.