NHL Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semi-Finals: Atlantic (#2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC (#1) New York Islanders

[pilldoc]

John Tavares' goal sends the game into overtime, then in double overtime, he nets the game winner, propelling the Islanders past the Panthers 2-1 and to their first playoff series win since 1993.  Sending them to face Tampa Bay.

 

 

 

 

All discussion concerning the Islanders vs Lightning series should go here. 

 

[yave1964]

IMHO two extremely flawed teams (the Bolts would not be called such if they had Stralman and Stamkos in) are fighting for the right to lose in four or five games to the winner of the Caps/Penguins. I went with the Lightning because of experience and because I always root for the team that knocks my Wings out, that way if the team does well I can say, see, the Wings were really good but the other guy was just a little better. It is getting harder to delude myself with this year after year anymore.

 

  But Bolts in 7. Tavares has been as hot as anyone not named Benn or who is not a triplet, but Greiss is not that good, he has played out of his rear and the Isles have other glaring holes as well. I said in the last series that the Isle line of Clutterbuck, Martin and Cizikas who hit the kid who sharpens skates in the locker room just to get ready before the game starts are a wild card, they are a perfect playoff line that hits everything and can score a bit. If they are great and get under the triplet skin, the Isles could pull an upset.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

This actually is a tough matchup for me to pick.

 

Homerism tells me to go with my team, but as we all know, they are missing their 1C, their 2D, and a pretty good and versatile bottom sixer in JT Brown.....not a good thing when facing down the likes of a John Tavares and his linemates.

Not to mention that the Islanders, overall, are one of the more rugged teams in the league and will surely wear a team down over the course of any given series.

And that ruggedness does NOT come at the cost of speed....NY is quite fast as well.

 

Still though, once you get past the Tavares line, what can they offer (aside from bone jarring hits), that the Lightning haven't already seen from Detroit?

Even without Stamkos and Stralman, I rather like the Bolts' depth.  Johnson, Killorn, Kucherov, Filppula, Palat, and Drouin aren't a bad top six in the absence of Stamkos.

Throw in a bottom six of Namestnikov, Callahan, Paquette, Boyle, Blunden, Condra who can match the Isles own bruising bottom liners (and who can score as well), and I think TB matches up pretty well there too.

 

Then you have goal.

Ben Bishop, simply stated, has been the absolute number one they have needed him to be. He has his lapses, and sometimes OVERplays the puck, but all season long and into the first round of the playoffs, he has proven to be a reliable asset. Health was his only concern, and he is about as healthy as one can hope for.

Greiss? Fantastic down the stretch, pretty good in the first round too........but is this really him? Or is he just on a pretty nice run?

 

The Bolts will certainly pose a different kind of attack than that seen by the Panthers from Line 1 to Line 4.  I like Ben Bishop facing down the Isles lineup over Greiss facing down the Bolts lineup.

 

Tampa Bay, furthermore, showed in the Detroit series that they have indeed learned the hard physical lessons from last season. While I think the Isles are, top to bottom, the more physical group, I think TB can be categorized as "underrated" in that department this year.

Hey, it wasn't that long ago when Boyle and his 4th line were viewed as the best checking line in the league, and while they may not be "the best" anymore, they hardly are a line you can dismiss.

 

I give the edge in special teams to the Isles as the Lightning still aren't particularly consistent there..especially the PP. And I will give a slight edge in physicality to the Islanders.

Everything else, Stamkos, Stralman, and JT Brown notwithstanding, I believe the Bolts to have the edge.

Had those players been available, then the edge is DECIDEDLY in their favor and the gap in the physical department is narrowed further.

 

If the Bolts can stay away from too much extracurricular and contain John Tavares' line, I think the Isles will find themselves struggling to keep up with Tampa Bay.

However....if things turn ugly and most of the game is played with the bottom six deciding things (while John Tavares gets his usually opportune goals), then the Bolts may find themselves on the wrong side of a series loss.

 

I think TB's past lessons will serve them well here. They are still hungry for the Cup, and still have the legs and fire to go for it.

Tampa Bay Lightning in 7.

 

[SpikeDDS]

I like TBL here. It's close, and whenever I have two teams that are pretty close, and I'm not quite sure which one to pick, I look at the goaltending. Bishop showed in the Red Wings series that he is picking up where he left off last year. Greiss played well in round 1, but has less history to draw from. Advantage TBL.

 

Bolts in 7.

[hf101]

If the Islanders win this then Tavares will have a sound shot at the Conn Smyth trophy.

 

But I have to go with the experience of te Bolts here in 6 games.  

[OccamsRazor]

I have to say Tampa in 7. Stamkos makes it back.

[Holtbeast]

This one is going to be fun mostly because I want to see the Islanders pull this off and move. I really think they have the talent to do just that. They just need to keep things under control and not let emotions take over  if they get behind in a game. I am going with the Islanders in 6 games.

[Holtbeast]

I actually picked Tampa in my bracket to win this because of there experience, but the Islanders are really making this interesting. I really enjoy watching this Islander team.

[canoli]

well sh-- ... I thought the Isles would give TB a longer, tougher series than 5 games. Without Stamkos, Stralman I hoped the Isles could take advantage but unfortunately their offense never found its groove. Credit TB and Bishop, they were faster and hungrier (for lack of a better word) on most of the loose-puck battles and shutdown the Tavares' line. The Isles are similar to the Flyers in a way; their bottom 6 aren't much to worry about. Capuano did a good job this year but the Isles' holes are obvious. And Griess played okay but he couldn't steal even 1 game.

 

Well congratulations TB fans you guys are still in the hunt! Please beat whoever you face in the ECF - I can't stomach the thought of the Caps or the Pens in the SCF.

[SkyHigh30]

On the Eastern Side of the Brackets I am doing pretty well. I had the Lightning winning over the Isles in 6. They did it 1 game early, but I still had them advancing.