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The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to play the New York Islanders today at 7:30 p.m. The Lightning are currently 43-25-5 this season and the Islanders are 32-31-10. The Lightning need five points to claim a playoff spot as the regular season ends.
New York Islanders History
The Islanders are on a three-game losing streak and are hoping to earn their first win in five games tonight. The Islanders are returning to New York to play at home after back-to-back losses on the road. They lost 5-3 to the Lightning in Tampa, Florida, last Saturday. The Lightning scored three points in the first eighteen minutes of the game while the Islanders trailed behind. The Islanders came back in the third period and scored three goals. Ryan Pulock, Tony DeAngelo and Marc Gatcomb all scored once.
As the Islanders are hoping for a playoff spot, the pressure for a win is steadily increasing, potentially causing a more aggressive and dominant playing style compared to last Saturday. Players to watch for tonight include Anders Lee, who is currently leading the Islanders with 27 goals, and Gatcomb and DeAngelo.
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Tampa Bay Lightning History
Tampa Bay is currently ranked second in the Atlantic Division, tied with the Florida Panthers. The Panthers and Lightning trail the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Lightning are on a three-game home win streak with victories against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Utah Hockey Club and the Islanders. Tonight’s game against the Islanders marks their first of four road games this week and next.
The Lightning are the NHL’s only team to have four 30-goal scorers: Brayden Point with 38, Jake Guentzel with 37 and Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov with 33. Kucherov, the Lightning’s 31-year-old right wing, has an eight-game point streak, having recorded a total of 17 points during that time.
In Tampa’s last game against the Islanders, Kucherov scored once and had three assists. In addition, other notable scorers included Point, a center, who scored twice, and Guentzel, also a center, scored once and had an assist. Look out for Kucherov, Guentzel, Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa’s goaltender, in tonight’s matchup.
Where to Watch
Catch the game today at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
