Over performance on Long Island is what gave New York to Carter. He nearly won both counties there when Republicans back then used to get around 60% in both. That made up for his horrendous upstate performance where he did nearly as badly as McGovern. He even lost the Albany area Congressional district that actually flipped to him in 1980 and only barely went for Nixon in 1972.
He even lost Tompkins both times, even though it's voted Democratic ever since. Yep, it's one of those Ford / Mondale counties.
