The New York Islanders congratulate the Tampa Bay Lightning at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday, May 8, 2016, in Tampa, Fla.
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But the Lightning showed the Isles just how far they still are from Stanley Cup contention – and ensured Barclays Center will be quiet for the remainder of the spring – by completing a five-game ousting with a thorough 4-0 victory on Sunday in Tampa.
The Lightning advanced to the Eastern Conference final of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Game 5.
Kyle Okposo scored early in the first for the Islanders, and Greiss stopped 20 shots. Garrison immediately pulled back his stick and released one of his patented blueline bombs which sailed past Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to their third win in a row over the New York Islanders. Since the other series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals is still going (the Penguins hold a 3-2 series lead with Game 6 Tuesday in Pittsburgh), it means that the Lightning will have a few extra days to rest. Travis Hamonic made his trade request prior to the season and that will be front and center once more if the Isles can not rally from the 3-1 deficit they face after dropping two overtime games at Barclays Center earlier this week. The pace slowed in the second as Tampa Bay outshot NY 4-2 over the first 10 minutes and finished with a 10-7 edge.
“I think we learned a year ago we had a couple of series where we had chances to close (opponents) out at home and we kind of let them slip”, Bishop said. You gotta have believability and trust and hope with one another that you just continue to play within the framework that you want to play with and get the results that you get.
“I felt good”, Hedman said. But they dropped the final four games of this series after taking Game 1 at Amalie Arena. “It would have put us on the power play there, maybe given us a chance to win the game”.
Kucherov’s breakaway early in the third period was his NHL-leading ninth goal of the playoffs.
That they couldn’t pull away when ahead by one in either Game 3 or Game 4 proved costly. That’s in contrast to the first round series against Florida when Tavares was a huge factor and even scored the series-clinching goal.
The Islanders had a tough 1st period, and just couldn’t get into a groove. “That could’ve changed the type of game especally (since) we didn’t have too much going”. He had a goal and assist in New York’s only victory over Tampa Bay, but didn’t have a point in the last four games.
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Tavares had seven attempts against Bishop, but only one shot in Friday’s Game 4, 2-1 overtime defeat.
