New York @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 14, 2019 ) NY Islanders 4, Pittsburgh 1

Sidney Crosby has tormented the New York Islanders throughout his decorated career, however the two-time Hart Trophy recipient has been held without a point on six shots while recording a minus-4 rating in the Eastern Conference first-round series. Crosby looks to help the Pittsburgh Penguins avert a sweep when they host the Islanders in Game 4 on Tuesday night.

"It's not the position that you want to be in, but I would love to be a part of a team that comes back from that," Crosby told reporters Monday, one day after a 4-1 setback put Pittsburgh in its first 3-0 series deficit since the 2013 Eastern Conference final versus Boston. The Penguins' sixth-ranked offense has been limited to the first career postseason goals of defenseman Erik Gudbranson and Garrett Wilson over the last two games. Jordan Eberle answered just 28 seconds after Wilson's tally in the first period in Game 3 to become the first Islander to open the playoffs with three goals in as many games since Ray Ferraro (1993 versus Washington). "It's been the storyline for the last couple of games. They score and we come back," the 28-year-old Eberle told the media. "Playoffs are all about momentum. When you can take some teams (momentum) away and continue to build yours, it's key."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS2; MSG, MSG-Plus (New York), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS: Robin Lehner entered this series with 49 minutes of playoff action accumulated in a relief role with Ottawa in 2013, but the 27-year-old Swede has looked at ease in this set versus Pittsburgh by turning aside 98 of 103 shots. "We work for each other and care for each other and play as a group. I feel calm in the net right now," Lehner, who split the William M. Jennings Trophy with Thomas Greiss, told reporters. Reigning Calder Memorial Trophy recipient Mathew Barzal has four assists in the series after setting up three goals in the season series versus Pittsburgh.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang are the lone remaining members of the last Pittsburgh team that trailed 3-0 in a series. Malkin has collected a goal and two assists in the series to join defenseman Justin Schultz with a team-leading three points, while Letang set up a third-period tally in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1. Like Crosby, Jake Guentzel has been held without a point and owns a minus-3 rating in the series after erupting for a career-high 40 goals this season.

OVERTIME

1. New York is 9-0 all-time when holding a 3-0 lead in best-of-7 series while Pittsburgh is 0-5 when facing same deficit.

2. The Penguins have held a lead for 3 minutes, 17 seconds in the series.

3. NHL teams that lead 3-0 in a best-of-7 series are 186-4 with the 1975 Islanders one of the four to erase a 3-0 deficit against Pittsburgh.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Islanders 2