The Tampa Bay are getting major a lift for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final as they attempt to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.
Brayden Point will be back in the lineup against the New York Islanders on Thursday after missing the Lightning’s Game 5 loss on Tuesday.
It was the second game he missed this series, with those two being the only games the Lightning have lost in the series.
He will skate in his usual spot on the top line between Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat.
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Point has been the Lightning’s best overall player this postseason and has emerged as one of the leading contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy. He enters Thursday’s game with 25 points in 16 games, including at least one point in 14 of those games. He has seven points in the Eastern Conference Final alone even though he has only played in two-and-a-half games in the series.
But while the Lightning are getting one of their most important players back, the Islanders are losing one of their top players.
Defenseman Adam Pelech will not be available for Game 6, a development that will leave a significant hole on their blue line.
Pelech’s absence during the regular season was one of the biggest factors behind their second half slide. Losing him on the same night that Tampa Bay gets Point back is going to be a major issue for the Islanders.
Noah Dobson will be in the lineup for the Islanders in Pelech’s place.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.