Lightning at Islanders
The New York Islanders look to hold on to home-ice advantage in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning for Game 3 at the Barclays Center on Tuesday night. The Islanders captured the first of two contests in Tampa 5-3 before being outshot 26-8 in the final two periods of a 4-1 defeat in Game 2 on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s disappointing when you get that first one that you can’t go out and do it again,” New York center Frans Nielsen told reporters. “But I think going (to Tampa), we would have taken it coming back 1-1. Going home to our building, it’s going to be a different story.” Islanders captain John Tavares said his team needs to find a way to get second and third opportunities on Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, who was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Tampa Bay was much sharper defensively in Game 2 and got two goals from Tyler Johnson, who took over the team lead with 10 points. “That’s one game. We need three more,” Johnson told reporters. “It’s gonna be loud, going to be hard to play in, but we know what we need to do.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Right wing Nikita Kucherov (six playoff goals) did not have a point in Game 2, but was a factor with a plus-2 rating while being reunited with linemates Ondrej Palat and Johnson. Jonathan Drouin, who looked as though he would never play with Tampa Bay again after a trade request and team suspension in midseason, boasts a goal and six assists to go along with 19 shots – third on the team -- in the postseason. Forwards Erik Condra (upper body) and Mike Blunden (upper body) practiced Monday and defenseman Matt Carle (undisclosed) skated on his own.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS: Tavares had a team-high three shots on goal in Game 2, but the Islanders did not get enough production throughout the forward corps and the line of Shane Prince-Brock Nelson-Ryan Strome was limited to one shot combined. Defenseman Ryan Pulock practiced on Monday and could return to the lineup in place of veteran blue-liner Marek Zidlicky while forward Josh Bailey (upper body) may draw back in as well. Defensemen Nick Leddy (28:31) and Travis Hamonic (27:03) lead the team in average ice time and have a combined plus-1 rating.
OVERTIME
1. Johnson needs one goal to break a tie with Brad Richards (18) for third on the Lightning’s all-time playoff scoring list and Kucherov has 17.
2. New York RW Kyle Okposo is second only to linemate Tavares (35) in shots on goal during the playoffs with 32 and leads the team with six assists.
3. The Lightning have won their last six Game 2s in the playoffs and are 3-2 in Game 3s – 3-1 last season.