GAME 6 OF STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS

It just might not have been the final home ice at the Nassau Veteran’s Coliseum for the New York Islanders.

First its fiery fans at this adopted arena began the night with a rousing vocal definition of the national anthem, then their team came on to a overwhelming, standing room welcome after being embarrassed 8-0 in game 5 at the Tampa Bay Lightning to put it behind 3-2 in the National Hockey League semifinals.

But even down 1-0 after period one and 2-0 after period two, wasn’t going to stop yet another Isles rally that brought a 3-2 overtime win to force the deciding game at Tampa Bay Friday night.

And if the Isles can win game 7, they would face the winner of the Montreal-Vegas semis, and if that happens while their sparkling new arena at Belmont Park in Elmont is scheduled to open in October, there would still be the arena in Long Island to ice the puck in before these fiery fans.

New York, which lost in last year’s semis to eventual champion Tampa Bay, got to within 2-1 in the third period on a goal from right wing Jordan Eberle. Next came a hard shot into the goal from defender Scott Mayfield to tie the score.

The overtime was over fast. The Islanders gathered the puck, passed it in to Anthony Beauvillier, and he sent it in the net on his first shot. The arena went wild as their team celebrated. Their probable best player, center Matthew Barzal, who was fined $5,000 for a hard cross check in game 5, came away with a pair of assists, and goalkeeper Samyon Varlamov made 22 saves.

It brought the Islanders record at home to 27-7-3 this season. They took 28 shots, Tampa Bay 24. There were four penalties that brought eight minutes in the box for the Lightning, and three against the Isles for six minutes in the box.

So there will be a game 7 to decide this rivalry. Tampa Bay, though, has gone 5-0 after one defeat, but New York isn’t hitting the road to keep this streak alive.

“Amazing,” said head coach Barry Trotz, “I just love this team, and the reason why is how they stayed in the flow and fought back before these great fans at this great venue that has been their home until day one.”

Trotz, who coached the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup title, added that he had never before lost 8-0, but never before had coached a team with this character, a group of players who could put a huge defeat like that behind them and come out battling.