Islanders advance to first Eastern Conference Finals since 1993

The Islanders left nothing to chance on Saturday night, eliminating the Flyers, 4-0.

Having lost the previous two games in overtime, the New York Islanders made sure it wouldn’t come to that again with a dominant 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7.

Scott Mayfield, Andy Green, Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier delivered the goals to push New York into the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Islanders will now take on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who downed the Boston Bruins on Monday, in their first conference finals appearance since 1993.

The Islanders shut the door on the Flyers for good on Saturday.

Mayfield’s goal, the first of his career in the playoffs, came after nine minutes in the first period as his shot flew in from the right. Taking aim from the left, Green doubled up the lead in the 13th minute.

Nelson made it 3-0 on a two-man breakaway halfway through the second period while Beauvillier’s third-period, empty-net goal put the game away.

Goaltender Thomas Greiss has 16 saves in the first playoff shutout of his career.

Green’s counterpart, Carter Hart, had 25 saves but allowed the critical three goals.

The series was in New York’s control after building a 3-1 lead over the Flyers. They prevailed 4-0 in Game 1, 3-1 in Game 2 and 3-2 in Game 4.

However, things got nervy as the Flyers clung to their place in the playoffs with overtime victories in Game 5 and Game 6.

Two late wins kept Philadelphia in play, while their Game 2 win also came in overtime, but only a fourth would send them to the next round. The Islanders avoided the ever-embarrassing scenario of blowing a 3-1 lead.

New York already snapped the longest conference finals drought in the NHL. Next up they’ll try to secure their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1984. They lost to the Edmonton Oilers, who they bested to win their last Stanley Cup in 1983.