Game 2 Preview: Islanders at Lightning

NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
GM 2 | SEPT. 9 | 8 PM | ROGERS PLACE
LIGHTNING LEAD BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES 1-0
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After an uncharacteristic 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on Monday night, the New York Islanders look to bounce back in Game 2 at 8 p.m. ET at Edmonton's Rogers Arena.

"[Game 1], the score was one-sided," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "They ended up scoring on virtually all of their chances. We have to just put that aside. We have to focus on what we need to tighten up. The last six days we've been going at it pretty hard trying to finish off the Flyers. It took a lot of physical and mental preparation there and then a quick turnaround. We went from an emotional high to an emotional low. What you have to learn is that those are acceptable, those are a part of the playoff process. What we do in [Game 2] is the only thing that matters."
Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy scored for the Isles in Game 1, while Thomas Greiss received his second-straight start of the postseason but was relieved by Semyon Varlamov after allowing three goals on nine shots. Varlamov played the remaining 49:05 between the pipes and allowed five goals on 25 shots.
Following a week's worth of rest between series, the Lightning were hot out of the gate scoring their first goal of the night 1:14 into the first period. Tampa finished the game with three goals in the first and third periods and two goals in the second period to round out their 8-2 rout. Brayden Point (2G, 3A) and Nikita Kucherov (1G, 4A) each posted a five-point outing. Victor Hedman had a three-point game, while Yanni Gourde also scored twice.

FRESH START IN GAME 2:

Following Game 1, the Isles have looked to 'wash it away,' according to Trotz. The team took a did an off-ice workout and focused on a mental break between games to reset and approach their next opportunity with a crisp and determined mentality.
They've stayed positive despite the lopsided score and Trotz reminded reporters that en route to the Islanders first-ever Stanley Cup win in 1980, the team suffered an 8-3 loss in Game 2 to Philadelphia in the Final.
"What you learn is you've got to park it," Trotz said. "In our last series] we were up 3-1 and ended up going to Game 7. The road is not always the same. It is structured with all of these twists, turns and adversities, you never know how it changes. When the Islanders won their first cup, they did lose a game - Game 2 - they gave up eight goals. They came back and beat the Flyers to win their first cup."
The Isles aren't allowing themselves to get discouraged or disheartened by their poor showing. They're a confident and tight-knit group and have belief in their abilities that have propelled them to this point for the first time in 27 years. They're leaning on the perspective that it's a best-of-seven series.
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"We knew it was acceptable, but at the same time we knew it's a seven-game series and first to four," Mathew Barzal said. "[If] we get tomorrow's game it's a completely different series...We're excited to get another crack at them."

TEMPERING TAMPA'S THREATS:

It was the first game of the postseason where the Isles lost by a margin greater than one goal and relinquished three power-play goals against.
Tampa's high-octane offense posed a bit of a different matchup than the other teams the Isles had faced leading up to the Eastern Conference Final. The Isles still stabilized the likes of Florida's Aleksander Barkov, Washington's Alexander Ovechkin and Philadelphia's Claude Giroux, but Tampa's depth and speed added a different challenge on defense. The Lightning were able to capitalize on transition plays in Game 1.
"They were able to stretch us out a little bit and stretch us out at the top of the zone," Devon Toews said. "There's a few things that we'd like to do down low to take away time and space. We weren't quite as efficient at that as we usually are, and it showed."
Tampa Head Coach Jon Cooper also dresses seven defensemen, who split different roles. By doing so, the Lightning's lethal forwards have the opportunity for more ice time and Cooper has flexibility to roll out players riding the hot hand and conserve his defense.
Trotz hasn't found facing the lineup of seven defenseman and 11 forwards to be an issue, but expects more from his team to match or exceed their own compete level going against the Lightning.
"We have to fix our battle level," Trotz said. "Our battle level wasn't at an acceptable level for winning in this round. This is our fourth round right now even though it's the conference final. We're battle tested. We'll have to just raise our game, raise our battle level and tweak a couple of things systematically."

Video: GAME ON: Isles-Bolts Gm 2

CLUTTERBUCK UPDATE:

Cal Clutterbuck blocked a rocket point shot from Mikhail Sergachev on a second-period power play for Tampa. Clutterbuck immediately left the ice for the Isles dressing room and did not return for the third period.
Trotz did not have an update during the Isles day in between games but didn't rule Clutterbuck out for Game 2.
"Everything will be reassessed in the morning," Trotz said. "I think there's a possibility he'll be in."
UPDATE:
Ahead of Game 2, Trotz addressed the media and provided an update on the status of Clutterbuck.
"Clutterbuck will be a game-time decision," Trotz said.
Trotz also indicated that there could be a different look in the Isles lineup tonight.
"I am contemplating a few [lineup] changes," Trotz said. "We went back-and-forth on a few people in terms of what we might need going forward here. We might make some certain [lineup changes]. Some of it might be predicated on the status of Clutterbuck tonight."

SPECIAL TEAMS FOCUS:

While the Isles scored their first goal on the power play and their 11th power-play goal of the postseason, Tampa dominated the battle of special teams going three-for-six on the power play and four-for-five on the penalty kill. Entering the series, the Isles penalty kill was a perfect 13-for-13 throughout the duration of their Second-Round series against Philadelphia but relinquished three power-play goals against the Lightning.

ISLES LOOKING TO GET OFF TO BETTER STARTS:

A theme for the Isles throughout the postseason has been their strength to close out in games in the third period. Against the Flyers in the Second Round, the Isles outscored them 11-3 in the third period and outscored Washington in the First Round 7-1 in the final frame.
While they're confident in their ability to elevate their game come the final 20-minutes of play, they've concerted an effort on starting each period stronger to construct a full-60-minute effort.
"We noticed [our slow start] pretty quick," Toews said of Game 1. "In that [Game 7 against Philadelphia] 4-0 game we came out pretty hot. That was one of the things we've focused on lately is our starts. [In Game 1], that start wasn't there. It put us behind the eight ball, and we couldn't recover."

ISLES NOTES:

• Eberle extended his point streak to four games with his second power-play goal and fourth goal of the postseason. The winger has four points (1G, 3A) in as many games and has points in six of the last eight games with eight points (1G, 7A) in that span.
  - Ross Johnston drew into the lineup for his fourth game of the postseason and first game since Game 2 against Philadelphia. Johnston skated alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Derick Brassard in place of Leo Komarov.
  - Greiss started in Game 1 and received his first back-to-back nod of the postseason. For the majority of the Isles postseason run, Varlamov has earned the starting nod with his 14 starts.

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LIGHTNING NOTES:

• With the Game 1 'W,' Tampa picked up its fifth-straight win and eighth win in the last nine games.
  - With five points each in Game 1, Point and Kucherov set a new franchise record for most points in a playoff game.
  - Point and Kucherov's linemate Ondrej Palat shared the wealth as he scored his sixth goal in the last five games and set a new record for the longest postseason goal run. Point leads the Lightning in scoring during the postseason with his 23 points and eight goals through 14 games. Point's 23 postseason points are two behind Nathan MacKinnon's league-leading 25, but with the Colorado Avalanche having been eliminated, Point now atop the points leaderboard for active skaters. Kucherov is not far behind Point in the Tampa leaderboard with his 21 points and five goals in 14 games. Kucherov's 21 points are tied for the second-most postseason points in the NHL.
  - Hedman extended his goal streak to three games as he scored his sixth goal of the postseason. The James Norris Memorial Trophy finalist has six points (3G, 3A) in his last three games and leads Tampa's blueline with his 12 points (6G, 6A) during the postseason.
  - While six of Tampa's eight goals in Game 1 were scored by forwards, two goals were contributions from the blueline, and nine of the 24 total points posted in Game 1 originated from their blueline.
  - Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves and his 11th win of the postseason.