Lightning vs. Islanders: 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinal preview

By Jun 12, 2021, 5:05 PM EDT

If this seems familiar, it is because it is.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are meeting for a chance to play for a trip to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row, while it is the third time in four years that head coaches Barry Trotz and Jon Cooper have faced off in this round. There was obviously last year’s matchup, which the Lightning won in six games on their way to a Stanley Cup title, and also the 2018 matchup with Trotz’s Capitals topped Cooper and the Lightning on their way to the Stanley Cup.

The Lightning being here should be no surprise at this point. This is their fifth trip to the semifinals in the past seven years, and the sixth time they have reached this point in the Steven Stamkos–Victor Hedman era going back to the 2010-11 season. They are the the gold standard in the league for consistency and success and just keep winning.

[NBC 2021 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

The Islanders, meanwhile, keep proving the doubters wrong. No matter what their regular season record, no matter the talent gap on paper, no matter the outside predictions, they just keep stringing together wins come playoff time. They have had more success in the Barry Trotz era over the past three years than they did in the 24 years that preceded it.

Now they have one more step to take. Can they take it this season and get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1983? They have to win a rematch with the Lightning.

Schedule – series livestream link

Game 1: Sun. June 13: Islanders at Lightning, 3 p.m. ET (NBC)
Game 2: Tues. June 15: Islanders at Lightning, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN / Peacock)
Game 3: Thurs. June 17: Lightning at Islanders, 8 p.m. ET (USA Network / Peacock)
Game 4: Sat. June 19: Lightning at Islanders, 8 p.m. ET (USA Network / Peacock)
*Game 5: Mon. June 21: Islanders at Lightning, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN / Peacock)
*Game 6: Wed. June 23: Lightning at Islanders, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN / Peacock)
*Game 7: Fri. June 25: Islanders at Lightning, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN / Peacock)

*if necessary

Offense

On paper these two rosters could not be more different offensively.

The Lightning are loaded from top-to-bottom at forward and on defense with players that can fill the net. They have superstars at every level, from Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point at forward, to Victor Hedman on defense. Add in a great supporting cast that is led by Anthony Cirelli, Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn and it is one of the best offensive teams in the league. They can overwhelm you with speed and skill and can outscore anybody when they are clicking.

The Islanders’ lineup has a lot of players that can contribute and is very balanced, but there are not a lot of game potential game-breakers here. They have an aggressive forecheck and can cause havoc on opposing defenders, but it is not a team that is going to score a lot of goals. Mathew Barzal is great and one of the best skaters and puckhandlers in the league, but there is not much star power after him. He really started to get hot in the Islanders’ Second Round win against the Boston Bruins.

Advantage: Lightning

Defense

This is an interesting matchup.

While the Lightning are known for their star forwards, they still have a great collection of defensemen led by Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev. Hedman is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best players of his era at his position. You know you are going to see him for 28 minutes a night, in every situation, and he is going to impact the game in a significant way. Was his 2020-21 season as good as some of his recent years? Maybe not. But he is still great.

[NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2021 schedule, TV info]

The Islanders’ defense doesn’t have much star power in terms of name recognition, but the duo of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock is as good as it gets across the NHL.

No team has allowed fewer goals than the Islanders over the past three years, and while it may not always be a conventional way of shutting teams down, they have consistently been one of the toughest teams to create offense against.

Advantage: Islanders

Goaltending

The Islanders have a strong combination of quality and quantity as Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin are both capable of starting and playing at a high level. Both have done it this postseason already, with Sorokin getting the Islanders through the First Round against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Varlamov taking over against the Bruins.

But while the Lightning only have one elite goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy is the elite goalie in the NHL. As in, the best goalie. He is not only wildly productive and extremely durable, he just makes things look alarmingly easy no matter what sort of chances he has to face. The Lightning have not been as dominant this postseason as they have in recent years and have needed to rely on Vasilevskiy a little more, and he has been fantastic.

Advantage: Lightning

Special Teams

The Lightning are not afraid of a special teams game because they are equally good on the power play and penalty kill, finishing among the top-eight league wide in both categories. They play a physical style and will take a lot of penalties, but they can successfully kill that shorthanded time. When they get the even-up calls, then turn them into goals.

[Related: X-Factors For Stanley Cup Final Semifinalists]

The Islanders special teams teams reflects the overall outlook of the team: They are very good on the penalty kill and can keep the puck out of the net, but are only average to maybe below average on the man advantage.

Tampa Bay’s excellence in both areas gives it the advantage.

Advantage: Lightning

Prediction: Lightning in six

The same matchup as a year ago with the same result. The Islanders make their style and system work, and it has gotten them incredibly far in the playoffs. The idea of them winning this series is not outrageous. It could happen. Actually, it could easily happen. But the Lightning are the clear favorites and they not only have the offense that can beat the Islanders’ structure, but they also have the defense and goaltending to lock things down. The Lightning should be able to continue their quest for a repeat.

More NHL News

Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews returns to ice, hints at retirement
Budding Wild star Matt Boldy more willing to shoot, and it shows
canadiens sabres
Pezzetta scores shootout winner; Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3

—

Scroll Down For:

    Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews returns to ice, hints at retirement

    Associated PressMar 29, 2023, 9:51 AM EDT
    Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
    0 Comments

    CHICAGO — Longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews returned to the ice but hinted his stellar NHL career could be winding down after 15 years.

    Toews, 34, skated with teammates prior to Chicago’s game with the Dallas Stars. It was his first time practicing with them since a game in Edmonton on Jan. 28.

    He made a statement through the team on Feb. 19 saying he would be stepping away because of the effects of Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and “long COVID.”

    In meeting with reporters, Toews stopped short of saying he hoped to play in any of last-place Chicago’s nine remaining games. His eight-year, $84 million contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

    Toews said he’s feeling stronger, but isn’t sure if he’ll be able to play again for the Blackhawks or another team.

    “Both if I’m being fully honest,” Toews said. “I feel like I’ve said it already, that I’ve gotten to the point where my health is more important.

    “When you’re young and you’re playing for a Stanley Cup and everyone’s playing through something, that means something and it’s worthwhile. But I’m at that point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing.”

    Toews, the Blackhawks’ first-round draft pick (third overall) in 2006, joined the team in 2007 and was a pillar of Stanley Cup championship clubs in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

    At the peak of his career, he was one of the NHL’s top two-way centers, winning the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward in 2013.

    In 1,060 regular-season games, Toews has 371 goals and 509 assists. In 139 playoff games, he’s posted 45 goals and 74 assists, and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010.

    Toews missed the entire 2020-21 season with Chronic Immune Response System, which caused debilitating inflammation and fatigue.

    He appeared in 71 games in 2021-22, then started this season with renewed energy before slowing and eventually shutting himself down.

    Entering this season, it looked as if Chicago might deal him, as it did fellow star Patrick Kane, before the March trade deadline. But Kane went to the New York Rangers and Toews to injured reserve.

    Toews believed he was progressing before a relapse in January left him so sore and tired that he could barely “put on my skates or roll out of bed to come to the rink.”

    Toews said his progress over the past month has been “pretty encouraging” and he’s delighted to be back among his teammates. He has no timetable beyond that.

    “We’re just going to go day by day here,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. He deserves anything he wants to try to achieve here.”

    Richardson hoped Toews “can take that next step later in the week and hopefully (he) gives us the green light to go in a game.”

    But Toews emphasized his long-term health and ability to lead a “normal life” is most important. He wants to go out on a positive note and not hit the ice for a game playing through excessive pain and dysfunction.

    “It’s definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here as a Blackhawk in Chicago,” Toews said. “It’s definitely very important for me to go out there and enjoy the game and just kind of soak it in and just really appreciate everything I’ve been able to be part of here in Chicago.”

    Budding Wild star Matt Boldy more willing to shoot, and it shows

    Associated PressMar 29, 2023, 9:48 AM EDT
    Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
    0 Comments

    ST. PAUL, Minn. — Matt Boldy was unable to resist a smile in the aftermath of his second hat trick in five games for the Minnesota Wild, a young right wing and reluctant star trying to make sense of a remarkable hot streak.

    Does the puck feel as if it’s automatically going in the net these days each time he shoots?

    “Yeah, it does,” Boldy said in the locker room after leading the first-place Wild to a 5-1 win over Seattle. “My linemates are playing great. Hopefully you guys are giving them a lot of credit. You look at some of those goals – just putting it on a tee for me.”

    This non-attention-seeker has found himself squarely in the NHL spotlight. Boldy has 11 goals in nine games since Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov was sidelined with a lower-body injury to raise his goal total to 28, in part because he’s been more willing to shoot. With vision and stickhandling as strengths and the humility of being a second-year player, it’s easy to be in a pass-first mindset.

    “Everybody kind of took turns talking to him. But it’s not that he didn’t want to. A lot of times a situation like that where a guy’s got that skillset, it’s a real unselfish quality, right?” coach Dean Evason said. “But I think he gets now that he helps the team a lot when he scores goals.”

    The Wild were confident enough in Boldy’s scoring ability to commit a seven-year, $49 million contract extension to him earlier this winter, after all.

    “I think I’ve always had that mentality, but sometimes you just get into spots and it comes off your stick good,” Boldy said. “When things are going well, the puck goes in the net.”’

    The Wild are 6-1-2 without Kaprizov. Boldy is a big reason why.

    “You go through the slumps, you learn what you need to do to score. I think he’s found a good way to be in the right spot and shoot the puck when he had a good opportunity,” center Joel Eriksson Ek said.

    The Wild have only won one division title in 22 years, the five-team Northwest Division in 2007-08. They’re leading the eight-team Central Division with eight games to go, with both Colorado and Dallas too close for comfort. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2015.

    With Kaprizov due back before the postseason and Boldy on this heater, a Wild team that ranks just 23rd in the league in goals per game (2.93) ought to have a better chance to advance. Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson have been ideal linemates for the Boston College product and Massachusetts native.

    Since the Wild entered the league in the 2000-01 season, only five NHL players have had more hat tricks at age 21 or younger than Boldy with three: Patrik Laine (eight), Marian Gaborik (five), Steven Stamkos (five), Alex DeBrincat (four) and Connor McDavid (four). Boldy turns 22 next week, so there’s still time for one or two more.

    “He’s big. He controls the puck a lot. He’s got a good shot, good release. He’s smart. He switches it up. He’s got good moves on breakaways. He’s a total player,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. ”Fun to watch him grow this year.”

    Pezzetta scores shootout winner; Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3

    Associated PressMar 27, 2023, 11:57 PM EDT
    canadiens sabres
    Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports
    0 Comments

    BUFFALO, N.Y. ⁠— Brendan Gallagher and the Montreal Canadiens rallied back to avoid playoff elimination with less than three weeks left in their season. The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, are running out of chances to stay in the Eastern Conference wild-card hunt.

    Gallagher forced overtime by scoring his 200th career goal, and Michael Pezzetta scored the decisive shootout goal in a 4-3 win over the Sabres on Monday night.

    “It’s one of those things I think we earned that chance. We weren’t fantastic but we did enough on the road tonight to get a win,” Gallagher said. “Smiles all around.”

    The Canadiens could laugh, especially after Pezzetta celebrated his goal by putting his stick between his legs and riding it like a wooden horse — much like former NHL tough guy Dave “Tiger” Williams did during his 14-year NHL career spanning the 1970s and 80s.

    “I’m not sure we’ll see that again. One of a kind,” said Gallagher. “I’d be worried about falling over.”

    Pezzetta scored by driving in from the right circle to beat Eric Comrie inside the far post. Buffalo’s Jack Quinn scored in the fourth shootout round, but was matched by Montreal’s Jesse Ylonen, whose shot from in tight managed to trickle in through Comrie.

    Jordan Harris and Alex Belzile also scored for Montreal, and Jake Allen stopped 30 shots through overtime, while allowing one goal on six shootout attempts.

    Montreal would have been eliminated from playoff contention for a second straight season – and two years removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Final – with any type of loss.

    The Sabres squandered a 3-2 third-period lead to drop to 3-6-3 in their past 12. Buffalo also blew a chance to move to within four points of idle Pittsburgh, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot.

    “Just a little hesitation,” forward JJ Peterka said of the Sabres third-period lapse. “We didn’t play with much energy and we didn’t play that aggressive as we played the two periods before. I think that was the difference.”

    Buffalo’s Lukas Rousek scored a goal and added an assist while filling in for leading scorer Tage Thompson, who did not play due to an upper body injury. Peterka and defenseman Riley Stillman also scored, and Comrie stopped 38 shots through overtime, and allowed two goals on six shootout attempts.

    Montreal blew two one-goal leads to fall behind 3-2 on Stillman’s goal at the 8:31 mark of the second period.

    Gallagher scored on the fly by using Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as a screen to snap in a shot inside the far left post. With the goal, Gallagher tied Bobby Rousseau for 24th on the Canadiens career scoring list.

    “I liked the way we corrected ourselves, it’s a sign of maturity, in the way we stayed on task,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said, in recalling how the Canadiens recently unraveled in an 8-4 loss two weeks ago to Colorado, which plays a similar up-tempo style as Buffalo.

    PRIDE NIGHT

    The Sabres hosted their third Pride Night, with Russian D Ilya Lyubushkin electing not to participate in warmups by citing an anti-gay Kremlin law and fears of retribution at home in Moscow, where he has family and visits in the offseason. The remainder of the team wore dark blue jerseys with the Sabres logo on the front encircled by a rainbow-colored outline.

    During the first intermission, the Sabres broadcast a video in which GM Kevyn Adams said: “This is about recognizing someone’s humanity and true identity. We know there are people out there struggling with who they are, and we want them to know that they have an ally in the Buffalo Sabres.”

    UP NEXT

    Canadiens: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

    Sabres: Host the New York Rangers on Friday night.

    Flyers chairman Scott to retire; Hilferty becomes successor

    Associated PressMar 27, 2023, 12:08 PM EDT
    Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
    0 Comments

    PHILADELPHIA — Dave Scott will retire as chairman of the Philadelphia Flyers’ parent company Comcast Spectacor and be replaced by Dan Hilferty.

    Hilferty, who was recently named CEO of Comcast Spectacor, will succeed Scott as chairman of the company on April 17 and as the team’s governor on July 1.

    Scott joined Comcast Spectacor in December 2013 and the Flyers have struggled under his reign. They will miss the playoffs for a third straight season and haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1975.

    “Our number one goal for the Flyers will be to consistently compete for the Stanley Cup,” Hilferty said. “It is going to be a process that will take time to get on that path, but I’m confident we are headed in the right direction with Danny Briere as interim GM, Coach Tortorella, and our hiring of a President of Hockey Operations soon. Our leadership team will be fully focused to deliver on this for our fans while also continuing to make the sports complex the best location for sports and entertainment in the nation.”

    As Chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor, Hilferty will lead the company’s entire portfolio, including the Philadelphia Flyers. Spectacor Sports and Entertainment CEO Valerie Camillo will continue to work directly with Hilferty, overseeing the Wells Fargo Center, including its continued transformation, and lead the Flyers’ business operations.