MattMartin
Killer Instinct™
NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
GAME 2: ISLANDERS AT LIGHTNING
8 PM | AMALIE ARENA
ISLANDERS LEAD SERIES 1-0
WATCH: NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS, NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 98.7FM
Preview
Tampa looks to even the series
Tampa Bay generated few chances in the opening 20 minutes. Few expected the Lightning to be that rusty. Both teams enjoyed the same basic amount of time off.
Tampa Bay defeated Florida and Carolina, who were arguably as good or better than the Lightning. Yet, New York came out like they were the home team.
The Islanders controlled play with four of the six high-danger chances and established a tone for Game 1. They were able to draw penalties and had a +3 penalty differential before a late second-period minor. Again, New York played a style that saw a decent amount of shots allowed but little quality.
The way New York took a 2-0 lead was simple. They took advantage of the chances created. New York held a slight lead in expected goals for and even the third-period disadvantage was hardly drastic. Mathew Barzal opened the scoring as he used his speed and ability to dig into the risky areas.
Barzal plowed right in and put the puck in the net before the center went into the net. It was the kind of goal that endears a player to a fanbase yet again. It is the kind of goal that Barzal has been scoring. Also, this gave the pivot 10 points on the playoff season.
Granted, it was just one goal but this felt like more. When Ryan Pulock scored to make it 2-0, it felt like the game was over.
Aside from less than 60 seconds, it was as the Islanders held on to win 2-1.
Tampa Bay Should Bounce Back
Tampa Bay has now lost every opening home game in the playoffs. It seems to be a pattern. They come out flat. It did not even matter that this was Game 1.
The Lightning fell behind 2-0 before mounting a late challenge that fell short. Also, it did not help that Tampa Bay was -3 on penalty differential after 39 minutes.
For one, despite a late power-play goal, Tampa Bay felt disconnected in the game. There was so much slop aside from that one goal.
Maybe the most encouraging thing about Game 1 for the Lightning was this fact. Thankfully, it was only one game. Mentally, Jon Cooper put it best: “their minds weren’t there.”
Everything was a fraction of a second off, especially during the first two periods. Even when things became a little crisper, Semyon Varlamov shut the door. As a result, Tampa Bay has much work to do starting in Game 2.
Playoff Series History
.GAME 2: ISLANDERS AT LIGHTNING
8 PM | AMALIE ARENA
ISLANDERS LEAD SERIES 1-0
WATCH: NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS, NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 98.7FM
Preview
Tampa looks to even the series
Tampa Bay generated few chances in the opening 20 minutes. Few expected the Lightning to be that rusty. Both teams enjoyed the same basic amount of time off.
Tampa Bay defeated Florida and Carolina, who were arguably as good or better than the Lightning. Yet, New York came out like they were the home team.
The Islanders controlled play with four of the six high-danger chances and established a tone for Game 1. They were able to draw penalties and had a +3 penalty differential before a late second-period minor. Again, New York played a style that saw a decent amount of shots allowed but little quality.
The way New York took a 2-0 lead was simple. They took advantage of the chances created. New York held a slight lead in expected goals for and even the third-period disadvantage was hardly drastic. Mathew Barzal opened the scoring as he used his speed and ability to dig into the risky areas.
Barzal plowed right in and put the puck in the net before the center went into the net. It was the kind of goal that endears a player to a fanbase yet again. It is the kind of goal that Barzal has been scoring. Also, this gave the pivot 10 points on the playoff season.
Granted, it was just one goal but this felt like more. When Ryan Pulock scored to make it 2-0, it felt like the game was over.
Aside from less than 60 seconds, it was as the Islanders held on to win 2-1.
Tampa Bay Should Bounce Back
Tampa Bay has now lost every opening home game in the playoffs. It seems to be a pattern. They come out flat. It did not even matter that this was Game 1.
The Lightning fell behind 2-0 before mounting a late challenge that fell short. Also, it did not help that Tampa Bay was -3 on penalty differential after 39 minutes.
For one, despite a late power-play goal, Tampa Bay felt disconnected in the game. There was so much slop aside from that one goal.
Maybe the most encouraging thing about Game 1 for the Lightning was this fact. Thankfully, it was only one game. Mentally, Jon Cooper put it best: “their minds weren’t there.”
Everything was a fraction of a second off, especially during the first two periods. Even when things became a little crisper, Semyon Varlamov shut the door. As a result, Tampa Bay has much work to do starting in Game 2.
Playoff Series History
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2003-2004
2004 NHL Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals: NYI vs. TBL | Hockey-Reference.com
2015-2016
2016 NHL Eastern Second Round: NYI vs. TBL | Hockey-Reference.com
2019-2020
2020 NHL Eastern Conference Finals: NYI vs. TBL | Hockey-Reference.com
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All Time Record VS Lightning
.....................ALL GAMES......................... | .............................HOME............................. | ..............................AWAY.............................. | .......................PLAYOFFS.................... |
W-L-T | WIN% | GFPG | GAPG | W-L-T | WIN% | GFPG | GAPG | W-L-T | WIN% | GFPG | GAPG | W-L | WIN% | GFPG | GAPG |
54-63-3 | 46.3 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 29-28-1 | 50.9 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 25-35-2 | 41.9 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 5-12 | 29.4 | 1.8 | 3.0 |
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Possible Starting Goalies:
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Possible Lineups:
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Team Leaders:
Game 1 Highlights
Islanders vs. Lightning - Game Recap - June 13, 2021 - ESPN