Tampa Bay Lightning Headed To The Eastern Conference Finals

The Tampa Bay Lightning put on an incredible performance at the Amalie Arena as they defeated the New York Islanders 4-0 and continue on to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.

The moment Tampa Bay Lightning fans have been waiting all season for is finally here. After bringing home victories in the last three games against the New York Islanders, two of which were deep in Islanders territory at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Lightning bring the series back to the Amalie Arena here in the Sunshine State for a crucial Game 5.

If the Tampa Bay Lightning can work together and keep the pressure on the Islanders for a whole 60 minutes of hockey, they would have a good chance of finishing off their series with the Islanders and having a little time off before they would have to ready themselves to take on either the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Unlike the last two games the Tampa Bay Lightning played against the Islanders, the Lightning came out of the tunnel with the intensity we have come to expect from the Bolts over the last couple of seasons. The Lightning were aggressive with the puck and managed to keep the Islanders at a safe distance for the whole of the game.

It wasn’t until after the halfway point in the first period, but the Tampa Bay Lightning would be the first team to draw blood. At 13:49 in the period, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman would beat New York Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss and get the Lightning on the board first.

You would think a team who has struggled so greatly in the first period like the Lightning have over the course of the last few games would be satisfied with merely keeping the Islanders off the board for the remainder of the period. However, this Tampa Bay Lightning team was nowhere near ready to back down.

Just short of five minutes after Victor Hedman was able to sink the puck in the back of the net, another Lightning defenseman would get his name on the scoreboard. Brian Boyle would take a pass from Lightning defenseman Matt Carle and extend the Tampa Bay Lightning’s lead over the New York Islanders to two. This would remain the score when the buzzer would to end the first period.

When the Lightning and the Islanders took the ice for the second period of play, it was almost like watching a repeat of the first. The Lightning continued to be aggressive with the puck and keep the Islanders away from Ben Bishop. Of course, this would be the period where things would heat up on the ice.

Twelve minutes in penalties would be assessed over the course of the second period. As usual, the Tampa Bay Lightning penalty kill would do an excellent job of neutralizing the Islanders offense. Unfortunately for the Islanders, the same thing cannot be said about their penalty kill.

Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman would capitalize on the Lightning’s Power Play opportunity early in the second period to score his second goal of the  night and give the Lightning a 3-0 lead over the Islanders. This would carry the Lightning all the way to the buzzer that ended the second period.

While the Islanders were able to make up some ground in terms of shots on goal, they just couldn’t seem to make it work. Islanders captain John Tavares did have one good scoring chance; however, his puck would deflect off the goal post and away from the net.

Here is where the intensity really turned up. The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders took the ice for the third period of play. If the Lightning stayed the course, they would effectively eliminate the Islanders from the postseason and continue on the Eastern Conference Finals where they will meet either the Pittsburgh Penguins or the Washington Capitals. The Islanders now had their backs against the wall.

As the final minute ticked off the clock, you could hear the Tampa Bay Lightning fans explode in the Amalie Arena as it was apparent the Lightning had gotten the job done. Slowly, they would make their way to the edge of their seats. The Islanders would fight with everything they have. Unfortunately for the Islanders, it simply wouldn’t be enough to overcome the difference in score.

Finally, the buzzer would sound and the Tampa Bay Lightning would taste sweet victory. The Lightning and their fans could now rest easy as the Tampa Bay Lightning advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, the Lightning can take some time to heal their bodies and prepare themselves for the next challenge.

This is the kind of game Tampa Bay Lightning fans have been waiting for. The Lightning played a consistent 60 minutes of hockey both defensively and offensively, Rather than leaning on Ben Bishop to get the job done, the Lightning stepped up and simply kept the puck out of the hands of the Islanders.

Big Ben Bishop registered his second shutout of the postseason tonight against the New York Islanders, blocking all 28 shots on goal brought forth by the Islanders tonight. There are no words to accurately describe how much Bishop’s skill has meant to the Lightning; especially in the postseason.

Next: Steven Stamkos and the Impending Free Agency

The Tampa Bay Lightning have now made it through the first two rounds of the postseason. As they make their way to the Eastern Conference Final, the pressure is only going to continue to build. Both the Penguins and the Capitals are dangerous teams in their own right. Hopefully, as the Tampa Bay Lightning await their next opponent, some of our injured players, like Anton Stralman, will have an opportunity to rejoin the lineup.