UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The Penguins and New York Islanders have played 10 times since Feb. 6 -- eight in the regular season, two in the playoff series that will resume Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum -- so there probably isn't much either team can do to surprise the other at this point.
Each knows all about their opponent's personnel and tactics, its strengths and flaws.
By now, that same probably is true of both clubs' fan base. After watching the clubs collide so many times in the past few months, all but the most casual observers likely figure they have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the team that's trying to end the season of the one for which they root.
Penguins partisans who have been paying attention throughout the 2020-21 season probably have noticed a few things about the Islanders. A sampling:
• Center Mathew Barzal, despite being held without a point so far in the series, is a great skater with serious skill. He's the kind of talent capable of altering the course of a game in a couple of shifts.
• The Islanders have some rugged forwards, including Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck and Leo Komarov, and they play the body at almost every opportunity. That might not have an immediate impact, but can wear down another club over the course of a best-of-seven.
• Barry Trotz-coached clubs are known for having quality goaltending and a team-wide commitment to playing well defensively, and his current club fits the mold perfectly.
• Although there aren't Norris Trophy candidates on New York's blue line, the Islanders have three solid defense pairings, which allows Trotz to split the workload between them pretty evenly, thus reducing the risk of fatigue becoming a factor.
YOUR TURN: Which Islanders player(s) and/or tactical feature do you think represents the greatest threat to the Penguins' chances of advancing to the second round?