2016 NHL playoffs: Islanders vs. Lightning series preview

John Tavares leads the plucky Islanders against the defending Eastern Conference champion Lightning.

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Regular season recaps

Nov. 28: Islanders 3, Tampa Bay 2

March 25:Tampa Bay 7, Islanders 4

April 4:Islanders 5, Tampa Bay 2

Notable injuries

Islanders:  D Ryan Pulock (upper body, 1-2 weeks), C Mikhail Grabovski (concussion, indefinite), G Jaroslav Halak (groin, indefinite), C Anders Lee (broken leg, indefinite) D Brian Strait (upper body, day to day)

Lightning: C Steven Stamkos (blood clot, 1-3 months), D Anton Stralman (broken left fibula, indefinite)

Keys to an Islanders victory

Here’s where the Islanders stand: They’ve gotten solid-to-excellent goaltending from a player who entered the postseason with just 108 career starts in the NHL since 2007-08—38 of them this season. Thomas Greiss began the regular campaign as a career backup and he’s going to exit the playoffs as, potentially, New York's future long-term starter. He was outstanding in the Florida series, posting a 1.79 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. He never allowed a bad goal, and in the last three games he gave up just four, making a combined 88 saves in the last two, including 41 in New York's thrilling Game 6, double overtime finale. So, hot goalie? Check. Hot player? Double check.

Captain John Tavares is an early leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy. His five goals and four assists were factors in nine of New York's 15 goals in its six games against Florida, including two incredibly clutch tallies in Game 6; the equalizer coming with a tick less than 54 seconds left in regulation, the winner in his 34th minute of ice time. In Game 5 two nights earlier, he played 31 minutes.

John Tavares, Isles eliminate Panthers in 2 OT in Game 6

​Tavares will be the best player on the ice in this series. The problem is the depth behind him. Only one other Islander—linemate Frans Nielsen—scored more than one goal against Florida. In fact, other than the line of Tavares, Nielsen and Kyle Okposo, the rest of the Isles posted middling production. While they got big winning tallies from defenseman Thomas Hickey (Game 3) and rookie forward Alan Quine (Game 5), New York owns the worst remaining Corsi For percentage (45.4) in the playoffs. The Isles will need more from their fourth line of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck (a combined zero points) and forwards Nikolay Kulemin (one) and Brock Nelson (three). Some scoring from the back line (Hickey, Nick Leddy and Ryan Pulock chipped in three points apiece vs. the Panthers) will also be crucial.

In some respects, Tavares won the Florida series mostly by himself. Against an experienced Tampa Bay team that will surely be focused on stopping him, his job will be that much harder.

GALLERY: Top 10 New York Islanders of All Time

Top 10 New York Islanders of All Time

#10: Bob Nystrom

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

Known as “Mr. Islander” for his scrappiness, Nystrom was drafted in the third round of 1972 and went on to score the most famous goal in franchise history: the one that won its first Cup, in 1980, resulting in a photo as iconic as Bobby Orr’s flying Cup-winner of 1970. A hard-nosed grinder and fighter, Nystrom also had seven 20-goal seasons as an Islander, winning four Cups during his 14 years with the team.

#9: John Tavares

Kathy Willens/AP

Billed as the franchise’s savior, the first pick in the 2009 draft has lived up to his hype. Now captain and a two-time Hart Trophy (MVP) finalist, Tavares has led the once downtrodden Isles to the playoffs in three of the past four years, snapping their 23-year series win drought with an epic performance vs. Florida in the first round of 2016. He scored the tying goal with just under 54 seconds left in Game 5 and netted the winner in double OT to send New York to the second round.

#8: Pat LaFontaine

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

The third pick in the 1983 NHL draft after a 104-goal junior season, the classy LaFontaine arrived in time for the Isles' fifth straight run to the Cup final. Though he never won it, he became a fan favorite and the face of the franchise. He had eight straight 30-to-50-goal seasons often playing on the Helicopter Line (LaFontaine and no wings to speak of) and cemented his place in Isles legend by winning their 4-OT Easter Epic playoff game vs. Washington in 1987. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

#7: John Tonelli

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

One of game’s greatest grinders, the furiously hard-working Tonelli came to the Isles in 1978 from the WHA where he’d played with Gordie Howe. A member of the heart and soul “banana line” (named for its yellow practice jerseys) with Wayne Merrick and Bobby Nystrom, Tonelli had a knack for upping his game in the playoffs. A stalwart on all four title teams, he assisted on Nystrom’s Cup-winning goal in 1980 and kept the dynasty alive with clutch tying and OT scores in the decisive Game 5 vs. Pittsburgh in the first round of 1982.

#6: Butch Goring

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

The “final piece” of the Isles’ dynastic puzzle, the veteran forward was acquired from the Kings at the 1980 trade deadline, bringing much needed grit, hustle, experience, discipline and superb special teams play (he’s the franchise leader in shorthanded goals, with 18). Goring paid immediate dividends (19 points in 21 playoff games en route to the Isles’ first Cup) and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP in ’81 after tallying 20 points in 20 games. A key member of all four Cup teams, he later coached the Isles and is now one of their broadcasters.

#5: Clark Gillies

Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images

A classic two-way power forward, the 6’ 3”, 215-pounder nicknamed “Jethro” (after a Beverly Hillbillies character) was drafted fourth in 1974. Playing on the Trio Grande line with Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy, he added net-front presence and feared toughness. His bouts with notorious enforcers Dave Schultz, Terry O’Reilly and Ed Hospodar are legendary. A four-time Cup winner and six-time 30-goal scorer for the Isles, Gillies ranks fourth in games (872), goals (304), assists (359) and points (663) for the franchise. He was enshrined the Hall of Fame in 2002.

#4: Billy Smith

Paul Bereswill

Acquired from the Kings in the '72 expansion draft, the cantankerous Battlin' Billy became one of the great money goaltenders of all time. He won the Vezina Trophy in 1982 but is best known for backstopping all four of the Isles’ Cup teams, winning a record 19 straight playoff series and the '83 Smythe when he held Wayne Gretzky goal-less in a four game sweep of Edmonton in the final. The franchise leader in games (675) and wins (304), Smith was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

#3: Mike Bossy

Anthony Neste

Arguably the best pure sniper of all time, the Isles’ career goals leader (573) set an NHL record of nine straight 50-goal seasons while playing on a line with his friend Bryan Trottier. The 15th pick in the 1977 draft, Bossy became the first rookie to score 50 goals and the first player to tally 50 in 50 games (1981) since Rocket Richard in 1945. He was playoff MVP in 1982, scoring his famous flying goal in the Cup final vs. Vancouver. Limited to 10 seasons by a back problem, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

#2: Denis Potvin

Walter Iooss Jr

Called “The Next Bobby Orr,” the top pick in the 1973 draft went on to break the Boston icon’s scoring records by a defenseman en route to becoming the first blueliner to reach 1,000 points. A ferocious hitter and deft passer, Potvin was captain and mainstay of the Islanders dynasty. He won the Norris Trophy three times during his 15-year career (all with the Isles) and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

#1: Bryan Trottier

Tony Triolo

One of the finest two-way forwards in NHL history, he inspired Isles coach Al Arbour to say he wouldn’t trade Trottier for Wayne Gretzky in his prime. A second-round pick (1974), Trottier spent 15 seasons with the Isles, becoming their all-time leader in games (1,123), assists (853) and points (1,353). He won the scoring title and Hart Trophy in 1979, potted 500 career goals for New York and earned playoff MVP honors in 1980 when the Isles won the first of their four straight Cups. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

Keys to a Lightning victory

There were some people who thought last season that Ben Bishop was a fluke. Not anymore. After a Vezina-caliber season (35-21-4, 2.06 GAA, .926 save percentage, six shutouts), Bishop stormed into the postseason. In a dominant first round performance against Detroit, he posted a 1.61 GAA and .950 save percentage, never allowed more than two goals in a game, and shut out the Red Wings in Game 5 while denying 34 shots. The 29-year-old Bishop, who could’ve won the Conn Smythe last year had Tampa prevailed in the Stanley Cup Final vs. Chicago, is rich in postseason experience—in 30 career games, he has a 2.08 GAA and four shutouts. That caliber of play will be a huge plus until top pair defenseman Anton Stralman returns. Coach Jon Cooper has said there is a chance that Stralman could play against New York. Victor Hedman (27:02 TOI) has been getting the bulk of the work on the back line in a steady group (Matt Carle, Jason Garrison, Andrej Sustr, Nikita Nesterov and Braydon Coburn) that held Detroit in check (eight goals in five games).

2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule, results, highlights

​“We’ve got some veteran defensemen that were able to step in and fill those minutes," Sustr told the team's website. "I think we all did a good job of stepping up a notch a little bit and playing for Strals. We definitely want to keep going so we get Strals back. And obviously we miss his presence. He plays big minutes for us. He’s part of the power play and any situation on the ice. We’re looking forward to having him back.”

Without sniper Steven Stamkos, the Lightning are once again getting big-time points from “The Triplets” line although this time there’s a new member. Nikita Kucherov (5-3-8) and Tyler Johnson (2-5-7) are back, but Alex Killorn (3-2-5) has added a dose of snarl to the unit. (The previous member, Ondrej Palat, scored a goal against Detroit but suffered a 17-point regular-season scoring reduction off his 2014-15 totals). Kucherov has quietly averaged 65 points the past two seasons, and taken on much of the offensive load in Stamkos's absence. Keep an eye on Jonathan Drouin. The once-disenchanted winger revived his game during his exile in the AHL and came back to contribute four assists in five games vs. Detroit. His speed and exceptional playmaking skills give the Lightning yet another weapon.

The Pick

The Islanders are plucky, the sum greater than the parts. The Lightning are experienced, and are learning how to win without Stamkos (which might not be a bad thing, given his impending free agency). There are two things that give Tampa Bay the edge. While Greiss has been great for the Isles, Bishop has a longer and better postseason track record. And the Islanders simply do not have enough depth around Tavares to sustain the offensive pressure they need against the Lightning. There will likely be a few overtime games in this series, and we are sure to see more classic performances by Tavares. But the Lightning are better, deeper and more experienced and that's why they will ultimately prevail. Tampa Bay in six.