But Trotz knows what it takes to get past the Lightning, and he has enough options in his own locker room to do it. Tampa Bay still has one of the best rosters in the NHL, and Point is eying that 10-game scoring streak. Tampa Bay isn’t typically a team that drops two games in a row, but Trotz took the 2018 Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup after beating the Lightning in back-to-back games. Islanders 3, Lightning 2: As much as an Islanders upset seems unlikely, I trust Barry Trotz’s track record. Though I would expect a much stouter game from Barry Trotz's Islanders than what they showed in their last trip to Tampa, I think the rest of the Lightning's top-end talent will step up and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy will shut the door. That disparity certainly makes it seem like the Lightning figured out how to get favorable matchups in their home barn. In Game 5 in Tampa, the Lightning blitzed the Islanders 8-0 while outshooting them 42-21. Lightning 3, Islanders 1: The health of Nikita Kucherov is a major concern, but I think the home team gets it done in Game 7 even if their leading scorer can't go or is extremely compromised. The key for the Islanders will be the coaching of Barry Trotz, who won a Game 7 in Tampa when he led the Washington Capitals to the 2018 title. Get our free NHL betting pick for the Devils vs Islanders matchup and. Anthony Cirelli fit in well on the top line after Kucherov went out and Brayden Point is on a nine-game goal streak. Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning 10/03/23 - NHL Picks & Predictions. The Lightning held pressure in the offensive zone long enough for Garrison to put home a rocket from the point for the 2-1 Tampa Bay game-winner.Lightning 3, Islanders 1: This is the first time the Lightning have faced an elimination game since the 2019 playoffs, but I believe their championship pedigree and playing at home will make a difference, even if Nikita Kucherov can't play. Garrison blasted a puck by Greiss just 1:34 into the overtime period. Overtime was needed to decide the surprisingly low-scoring contest, making it the second game in a row that this series has seen extra hockey.īut it didn't last very long. The Lightning benefited from the stoppage and broke Greiss' shutout 7:49 into the period to tie the game. Nikita Kucherov's quick wrist shot beat Greiss from in front of the net between the goaltender's body and the left post for the 1-1 equalizer. Though Tampa Bay didn't score, they had some of their best opportunities to do so after Thomas Greiss was taken out of the game for a few moments due to a skate blade malfunction.Ī secondary delay to start the third period halted play for another 10 or so minutes, as the ice crew helped repair damage done to the boards from a Zamboni. ET NBCSN / Peacock). They will face the Canadiens starting on Monday night in Tampa Bay (8 p.m. Thanks to their 1-0 win over the Islanders in Game 7, the Lightning will attempt to win back-to-back titles. The Lightning got their chances in the second period with all three power plays. The 2021 Stanley Cup Final is set and the Lightning will have an opportunity to defend their title. The Islanders capitalized with some quick movement down low that got the puck out to Kyle Okposo at the left circle, and he buried it for his second of the playoffs. New York got the first power play of the game right out of the gate after Mike Blunden got two minutes for roughing. Tampa Bay scored the final two goals, including the game-winner from Jason Garrison less than two minutes into the frame of extra hockey.Īfter the Lightning controlled the opening moments of Game 4, it was actually the Islanders that struck first four minutes into the game. While the Islanders are deserving to be underdogs at home they were 26 points and 63 goals behind the Bolts in the standings heading into play on Thursday this is a good spot to target the. Thursdays matchup between the Islanders and Lightning at UBS Arena is scheduled to begin at 7:30PM ET. The Lightning will take a 3-1 series lead back home to put the Islanders on the brink of elimination after besting New York 2-1 in a short overtime period.
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