NHL Knowledge
NY Islanders-Tampa Bay
Lightning won both games in Brooklyn in OT, can wrap series up here; Tampa Bay won Game 4 at 1:34 of OT; they're 3-2 in last five home games with Islanders. Over is 6-2-2 in last ten series games. Tampa Bay won seven of its last nine games, winning four of last five at home. NY is 4-16 on power play in series, Lightning 2-14. Tampa Bay outshot NY 104-52 in periods 2-3 and OT first three games in series. Islanders are 3-2 in last five road games, but are they tired? Five of their last eight games went into overtime.
Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 12-7, Over: 8-4-7
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New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning (A: +149, H: -165, O/U: 5)
The Tampa Bay Lightning look to make it a little easier on themselves and end the Eastern Conference second-round series when they host the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon in Game 5. The Lightning were forced to rally before winning each of the last two contests in overtime at Brooklyn, N.Y., and return home where they have won four of five in the postseason.
“The fourth win is the hardest one,” Tampa Bay right wing Ryan Callahan told FSN Sun. “That’s one thing you learn as you go through the playoffs. We expect their best effort Sunday and we’ve got to be ready for it.” The Islanders must find an answer for right wing Nikita Kucherov, who scored the tying goal in Games 3 and 4 and has eight tallies in nine playoff games. New York has gotten off to strong starts throughout the series, but has not been able to maintain them while being outshot 104-52 in the final two periods and overtime combined. “We had plenty of opportunities,” Islanders captain John Tavares told reporters Friday. “It’s a fine line in playoff hockey. You have to be able to overcome these things. It doesn’t matter how you get it done, obviously. You’ve got to get results this time of year.”
PROBABLE GOALIES:
Islanders - Thomas Greiss (W/L: 5-5, GAA: 2.31, SAVE %: .928)
Lightning - Ben Bishop (W/L: 7-2, GAA: 2.12, SAVE %: .931)
INJURY REPORT:
Islanders - Brain Strait (questionable Sunday, upper body).
Lightning - Erik Condra (questionable Sunday, upper body).
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (50-30-12, 38-45-9 O/U): Tavares has been held without a point in the last three games and was limited to one shot on goal in Friday’s contest as he and Kyle Okposo were joined by new linemate Shane Prince. Okposo had the only goal for the Islanders last time out on the power play, which has converted once in each of the first four games of the series (4-for-16 overall). Defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body) returned to the lineup in Game 4, replacing Marek Zidlicky, and registered two shots on goal in 14:12 of ice time while rookie Alan Quine was a healthy scratch in favor of fellow forward Ryan Strome.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (53-33-5, 37-42-12 O/U): Kucherov finished with 10 goals in 26 games during last season’s postseason and is close to topping that already in the first two rounds while posting 11 points – one shy of linemate Tyler Johnson for the team lead. “He’s proving he’s not a one-hit wonder,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters of Kucherov. “He did it last year in the playoffs. … Now we’re back on the biggest stage, and he continues to amaze.” Cooper moved Alex Killorn onto a line with Johnson and Kucherov while Ondrej Palat joined Valterri Filppula and Jonathan Drouin on another unit and each created a goal Friday.
TRENDS:
* Islanders are 8-1 in their last nine after scoring two goals or less in their previous game.
* Lightning are 5-1 in their last six games overall.
* Over is 3-0-2 in the last five meetings in Tampa Bay.
* Over is 4-1-2 in Lightning last seven games versus Metropolitan Division opponents.
NY ISLANDERS (50-30-0-12, 112 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (53-33-0-5, 111 pts.) - 5/8/2016, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 35-18 ATS (+5.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
TAMPA BAY is 18-5 ATS (+23.9 Units) in the second round of the playoffs since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 199-209 ATS (+489.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
NY ISLANDERS are 16-7 ATS (+7.2 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
NY ISLANDERS are 24-18 ATS (+5.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 17-22 ATS (-14.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 7-6-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.5 Units)
NY ISLANDERS vs. TAMPA BAY
NY Islanders are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games on the road
NY Islanders are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
NY Islanders at Tampa Bay
New York: 24-15 SU in road games when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days
Tampa Bay: 27-31 SU after having won 3 of their last 4