N.Y. Islanders: Zapped Again

From the desk of: NO SLEEP TILL BELMONT

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

2019   EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS   2020

Lightning lead Isles; 2-0

I - TBL 8; NYI 2

II - TBL 2; NYI 1

When Lightning Strikes the Same Place Twice

This is the type of game the Islanders wanted to play, proving game one was an aberration.  They had everything going their way.  Tampa enters the game with eleven forwards and seven blue liners.  Midway through the second period the Bolts were playing with only nine forwards - no Steven Stamkos; no Brayden Point; no Alex Killorn.  Long Island yields just 21 shots on goal.  They keep Tampa scoreless in three power play opportunities.  The Isles win more face-offs and inflict more overall hits.  And they play with an early lead.  Matt Martin scores at the 1:24 mark of the opening period.  After which, the Isles spend upwards of twelve minutes in Tampa's end to start the game. 

At 5:55 of the first, Alex Killorn is called for a five minute major and a game misconduct for his vicious boarding of Brock Nelson.  The Isles get off five shots on goal but come up empty.

By the eight minute mark Tampa appears to be recovering from Long Island's opening surge.  But the Isles veto that and continue applying pressure.  Midway through Long Island owns an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal.  At 13:54 Ryan Pulock is whistled for tripping.  The Isles kill the penalty without allowing a single shot on goal.  It's part of a ten minute stretch in which the Islanders prevent the Bolts from taking a single shot.  Once out of the box, Pulock continues covering Brayden Point like a blanket, clearing the way for Mathew Barzal being the best centerman on the ice.

COMMITTING CARDINAL SIN of HOCKEY NUMBER ONE:

In the closing moments of the first period the Isles are called for a ponderous icing infraction.  The stripes clearly get this one wrong.  Back in their end the Isles lose the ensuing face-off.  Victor Hedman, there's that name again, scores with 1:34 showing on the clock.

COMMITTING CARDINAL SIN of HOCKEY NUMBER TWO:

The score remains unchanged for the next forty-four minutes and fourteen seconds.  Tampa does not achieve their tenth SOG of the game until the fourteen minute mark in the second.  But then, Long Island commits a defensive zone turnover.  At 19:51 of the third an uncontested Nikita Kucherov beats Semyon Varlamov; the Lightning lead 2-1; overtime averted. 

Assist by Ryan McDonagh ... a hard cross-ice pass from deep down along the left boards that goes untouched by three defenders.  Kucherov was positioned and waiting the whole time.

For two fleeting moments in time the Islanders slept on Tampa and it cost them dearly.  For a second straight game Ryan McDonagh proves Long Island's phantom menace.  Tampa is being aggressive on the pinch.  Tampa is known to interweaves a forward through the defensemen in order to facilitate just that; no big secret.  But the Islanders are letting McDonagh get lost in the crowd.  McDonagh is alone and free and more than happy to assist.

And so the Islanders had everything going for them except the final score.

They certainly had their chances, many chances in fact.  However, they go 0 for 4 on the power play; costly was their inability to score during a five minute major to Killorn.  But more than anyone, Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy deserves all three game stars.  Just hand em over.  He has started all fifteen games for Tampa since the NHL's return to action.  In game two he faces 28 shots and stops all but one.  Another way of looking at it: he yields a goal 1:24 into the opening period then shuts out the Islanders the rest of the way.

Tampa also seemed to have it in for Brock Nelson who suffers not one but two major boarding incidents, only the second period infraction goes uncalled.

Otherwise, never allow a goal in the first two minutes or last two minutes of any period!

I still say a 2-1 series deficit is manageable.  But the Islanders must now win game three or else be faced with having to sweep the final four.  Winning four of the next five .. not out of the question.