The Wraparound is your daily look at the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ll break down Friday’s NHL playoff game with the all-important television and live streaming information included.
• Check out the NHL Bubble Wrap for details on Thursday’s playoff game.
• Sean Couturier was revealed as the winner of the 2019-20 Selke Trophy.
FRIDAY’S NHL PLAYOFF GAME
Game 3: Islanders vs. Lightning (TB leads 2-0) - 8 p.m. ET, USA Network (livestream): Nikita Kucherov scored with nine seconds remaining in the third period to complete a comeback win for the Lightning. Matt Martin gave New York the lead with the first shot of the game 1:24 into the first period before Victor Hedman tied the game later in the first. With the game seemingly headed for overtime, Kucherov scored on a great feed from Ryan McDonagh to give Tampa a 2-0 series lead.
The Islanders have lost four of their last five games. They have not come back from 2-0 down to win a seven-game playoff series since the 1984 Conference Final, when they won four straight games against Montreal to win the series in six.
New York went 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 2 and failed to score on a 38-second 5-on-3 in the third period with the game tied. They also failed to score on a five-minute power play in the first period following Alex Killorn’s major penalty. This postseason, the Islanders power play sits at 16.2%, the worst of any of the remaining four teams.
[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]
After choosing a lineup with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, Tampa lost both Killorn and Brayden Point in the win, finishing the game with just nine forwards. Killorn was suspended for Game 3 for a late hit from behind on Brock Nelson. Point left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on his status Thursday.
In franchise history, Tampa is 5-0 in best-of-seven series when taking a 2-0 lead, although this is their first time leading a Conference Final 2-0.
Teams that take a 2-0 lead in the Conference Final have a series record of 31-2. This postseason, teams that reach two wins first in a series are 19-1. Teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series hold an all-time series record of 192-4 (98.0%). The Islanders are one of four teams in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, beating the Penguins in seven games in the 1975 Quarterfinals.
[Full NHL Conference Finals schedule]
SATURDAY’S NHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Game 4: Golden Knights vs. Stars (DAL leads 2-1) - 8 p.m. ET, NBC (livestream)
