We are now entering Round 2 of the NHL Playoffs. The Road to the Cup is that much shorter. Let’s take a look at the upcoming series:
(#2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (WC1) New York Islanders
The New York Islanders were an emotional bunch after their Game 6 victory over the Florida Panthers. And they had every right to be. The game itself was a roller-coaster ride, as the Islanders managed to tie the game with less than a minute left in regulation before winning in double overtime. It was the second consecutive game to head to double overtime, and the third of the series to head to extra time. And it secured the first playoff series win for the franchise since 1993.
And it all happened on home ice.
They christened their Brooklyn home with two overtime victories in their first playoff games at the Barclays Center.
Players like John Tavares and Travis Hamonic were apparently especially elated following the win. They were there during the dark times of the franchise. Now they can officially lay claim to the title of Best Team in the Tri-State Area 2k16.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have moved on to the Second Round for the second consecutive year. Last season saw them advance all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Steven Stamkos has begun skating with the team in a red non-contact jersey, and he is likely still a ways away from returning from a blood clot.
Here are some of the keys to victory for each side:
Why the Lightning will win: Superb penalty killing.
The Detroit Red Wings were not exactly a favorite to go very far this postseason, but they did have one of the hotter powerplays in the league heading into April. Shutting them down was not exactly an easy task. But Tampa Bay did it. The Lightning held the Red Wings to just one powerplay goal in 25 attempts. That’s a 96% success rate on the penalty kill. Losing Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman from the shorthanded unit has not slowed them in the slightest. The Lightning did spend the most amount of time shorthanded of any team in the playoffs. They countered by going 4-for-23 on the powerplay. The Islanders went 5-for-21 on the powerplay. Again, shutting them down will not be easy, especially since they come into the series confident. The speedy skill players John Cooper likes to use on the PK like Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov will be called on a lot in this series.
Tampa Bay’s X-Factor: Nikita Kucherov.
Speaking of Nikita Kucherov. The 22-year-old exploded in the opening round of the playoffs, with five goals and three assists. Kucherov tallied multiple points in three games against the Wings, and was on another level with the top line unit of Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn. In the absence of Steven Stamkos, Kucherov has had his three-zone role expanded even more. He has seen plenty of time in all three scenarios. He is one of the most consistent producers on the team. The Lightning’s top line is impressive, but Jonathan Drouin and the second line will be equally important.
Why the Islanders will win: Momentum.
The best example I can think of when it comes to momentum carrying through is the Kemba Walker-era UConn Huskies. The 2011 National Champions played on five straight nights in the Big East Tournament and won every game. They carried their surprise run into the Big Dance where they won six straight to win the title. I remember a lot of pundits were skeptical that a team could play so many games in a condensed amount of time and keep their fires burning through the tournament. Sure enough, they pulled through. This sort of principle can be applied to the New York Islanders. The Isles played three games in four days to start the series, then played 13 periods of hockey in five days. They get only two days off between their double-OT winner and this new series thanks to the overlapping schedule of the NHL Playoffs this year. That could actually work to the Isles’ advantage as they march on.
New York’s X-Factor: John Tavares.
Holy lord is this guy on another planet. John Tavares already has several signature moments this postseason and it has only been six games. He had five goals and four assists in the opening round, including the game-tying and game-winning goals in Game 6. Four of his nine points have come on the powerplay. Tavares is a point-per-game player in his postseason career, notching 20 in 19 games. Playoff scoring narratives are usually too lazy for my liking; it’s not like John Tavares ate a Super Mario mushroom and transformed himself into a playoff “clutch” performer. He’s just a superstar who has put himself in terrific positions to score and has come through. It’s just what he does. And he makes his teammates better- Kyle Okposo is second on the team in playoff scoring with six points, and Frans Nielsen is third with four. To keep pace with the blazing speed and chemistry of the Tampa Bay top six, John Tavares is going to have to be at the top of his game. It will be a tremendous matchup.
The ultimate irony is that both teams have hot offenses and stellar goaltenders. Which will break first?
Prediction: Lightning in 7.
