Pre Game Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. the New York Islanders

By: Luke Finlay

 

The Tampa Bay Lightning are coming off a 6-1 win against Ben Bishop and the Dallas Stars, to increase their winning streak to 5 games. Today they go against John Tavares and the New York Islanders. This should be a good match up against 2 great goal scorers in Nikita Kucherov and John Tavares, who are both top two in the league in goals. Kucherov currently is the league leading goal scorer with 17 goals, while Tavares is tied for 2nd with Alexander Ovechkin with 13 goals. The New York Islanders are 4th in the Metropolitan and are on a 2 game win streak, with a 10-6-2 record. In the Atlantic, the Tampa Bay Lightning are on a 5 game win streak, and are 1st in the Atlantic division with a 15–2-2 record.

 

TAMPA’S OUTLOOK:

As the whole league knows, the Tampa Bay Lightning are hot right now. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov are the best duo in the league and they are both top 2 in the league for scoring. Steven Stamkos leads the league in scoring with 35 points in 19 games, with Kucherov right behind him with 33 points. This is a team the Lightning haven’t had any trouble with last season, because they swept them in their season series last year. In those 3 games against the Islanders last season, the 3 combined scores were amazing for the Lightning due to the fact that they outscored the Islanders 14-2. However the Lightning can not be calm with past results. Instead they have to treat this like any other game, and use their confidence and momentum to get the victory.

 

KEYS FOR SUCCESS:

1.KEEP THE SCORING COMING

The Lightning have the best goal differential in the league with a +30. They need to use that scoring confidence to their advantage and control the game. Don’t forget that they also have the two best scoring leaders in Stamkos and Kucherov, and arguably the best scoring depth in the league.

2. END THE ISLANDERS WINNING STREAK

The New York Islanders currently have a 2 game winning streak and they’ll use somewhat of that confidence against a really challenging team in the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning need to use their winning streak of 6 games to their advantage in order to end theirs.

3. CONTAIN TAVARES

The Lightning need to watch John Tavares on the ice at all times. He is tied for 2nd in the league for goals for a reason. The Lightning can’t play lazy defense on anyone, especially John Tavares.

 

LINES:

OFFENSE:

Namestinikov- Stamkos – Kucherov

Palat- Point – Gourde

Kunitz- Johnson – Brown

Killorn- Paquette OR Dumont- Callahan

DEFENSE:

Hedman- Dotchin

Sergachev- Stralman

Coburn- Girardi

Sustr OR Koekkoek

GOALIE:

Vasilievsky:   14-1-1   GAA: 2.24   SV%: .932

 

ISLANDERS OUTLOOK:

The Lightning are the best team in the league currently for a reason. They are stable everywhere on offense and defense, especially goal tending. The Islanders can’t come in this game looking or playing scared. When you play top teams you have to play like one too. They need to play hungry, desperate, and most of all confident.

 

KEYS FOR SUCCESS:

1.CONTAIN THE FIRST LINE.

Namestinikov, Stamkos, and Kucherov are very important to the Lightning’s success so far. You can’t let these three skate loose anywhere on the ice. If the Islanders want to win, they have to play tight defense all around.

2.SHOOT AND GRAB REBOUNDS UP FRONT.

It’s not very likely that anyone on the other team scores from the blue line or way out. Teams that score on the Lightning usually drive the puck to the front of the net for scoring chances.

3. PLAY DESPERATE.

Even though the Islanders are coming off a two game winning streak, it won’t get any easier going against the hottest team in the league.

 

LINES:

OFFENSE:

Lee- Tavares – Bailey

Ladd- Barzal – Eberle

Beauvillier- Nelson – Ho-Sang

Chimera- Cizikas – Clutterbuck

DEFENSE:

Leddy- Boychuck

De Hann- Pelech

Hickey- Pulock

GOALIE:

Greiss:  5-2-2  GAA: 3.37  SV%: .902