A 2016 Vezina Trophy finalist, a veteran of the University of ME, and a goalie for Team USA, Bishop shut out the Islanders in game five to clinch the second round series; it was his fourth shutout in series-clinching games which started with a victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. On Sunday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Lightning will charge back into the Amalie Arena to take on the New York Islanders in Game 5 of their second-round series.
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What the Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t know is that each and every one of their encounters in the Big Apple would end with a heart-pounding overtime period that would leave Lightning fans here and around the Bolts Nation breathless on the edge of their seats as they awaited the outcome of the game.
There was a talk within the Lightning dressing room between the second and third periods.
The last time the Islanders faced elimination was previous year in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals.
After scoring a power play goal in each of the series’ first four games, the Islanders failed to net a goal on the man advantage despite four chances Sunday.
“There’s no real panic button anymore”, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “So let’s get here, skate if you want, if not, do what you need to do to be ready”.
Our attention shifts back to Tampa Bay for a Sunday Matinee (3 ET) as the Islanders look fight back into the series.
Defenseman Victor Hedman led Tampa Bay with eight points (four goals, four assists) against the Islanders. “Maybe the long travel (required) being in Tampa, we don’t really want to get on an airplane and go back up north (for Game 6)”. This is the team that played in the Stanley Cup Final a year ago. Tampa Bay trailed for more than 47 minutes before right winger Nikita Kucherov tied the game 7:49 into the third. Jonathan Drouin made a backhand pass that banked off the boards and Hedman scored on a one-timer from the right circle to make the score 3-0.
Okposo, given his production, especially the last three years, appears to be in line for a hefty raise from his $2.8 million AAV he earned on his latest contract.
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“He’s such a dynamic player and you’ve got to treat him like that”, Lightning defenceman Jason Garrison said. I want to see us push the pace with the D and get those guys up in the play. Bishop played in his 34th postseason game, passing Nikolai Khabibulin for the most by a Tampa Bay goalie. Later in the first, John Tavares clanged a shot off the post on a 4-on-2 rush, but it was not to be.
