/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67409030/1272306896.jpg.0.jpg)
New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning: ROUND 3, GAME 5
Time: 8:00 pm Eastern Time
Location: Rogers Place
Broadcast/Streaming: NBC, SN, TVA-S, FuboTV
Opponent SBNation Site: Lighthouse Hockey
Preview:
The Tampa Bay Lightning are one win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final, but there is no way the New York Islanders will let them achieve that easily.
The Lightning’s top line overpowered the Islanders defense for much of Game 4, and it was their play that was instrumental in the comeback. The bad news was that Brayden Point was sidelined for most of the third period after appearing to re-aggravate an unknown injury. He will likely be back in the lineup tonight, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Lightning sit him out just to get him some extra rest.
There isn’t much else to say here but that the Lightning can’t get complacent in Game 5. They can’t sit back and let the Islanders dominate, because the Isles proved on Brock Nelson’s goal in Game 4 that they can capitalize after extended offensive zone time.
The Islanders won’t have Casey Cizikas or Tom Kuhnhackl for the remainder of the playoffs, as both have left the bubble due to injuries. Cizikas is a huge loss for them, as he solidified a heavy fourth line for the Islanders. The Lightning took advantage of his absence in Game 4 and will need to repeat that again in Game 5.
With or without Point in the lineup tonight, the Lightning will need their best effort to win their toughest game of the playoffs so far. And if they do, they’ll meet the Dallas Stars in the final round for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Forwards
Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn - Anthony Cirelli - Tyler Johnson
Barclay Goodrow - Yanni Gourde - Blake Coleman
Cedric Paquette - Patrick Maroon
Alexander Volkov, Mathieu Joseph, Carter Verhaeghe, Mitchell Stephens
Injured: Steven Stamkos
Defense Pairs
Victor Hedman - Zach Bogosian
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev - Kevin Shattenkirk
Luke Schenn, Braydon Coburn
Injured: Jan Rutta
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Curtis McElhinney
New York Islanders
Forwards
Anders Lee - Mathew Barzal - Jordan Eberle
Anthony Beauvillier - Brock Nelson - Josh Bailey
Andrew Ladd - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Leo Komarov
Matt Martin - Ross Johnston - Cal Clutterbuck
Michael Dal Colle, Derick Brassard
Defense Pairs
Adam Pelech - Ryan Pulock
Devon Toews - Scott Mayfield
Nick Leddy - Andy Greene
Goaltenders
Semyon Varlamov
Thomas Greiss
Loading comments...