Lightning shut out Islanders, clinch playoff berth

TAMPA --Andrei Vasilevskiy made 38 saves for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-0 win against the New York Islanders at Amalie Arena on Saturday.

It was the second shutout in three games for Vasilevskiy, who has allowed one goal on 100 shots in that span.
"Obviously, [making the playoffs] gives us peace of mind, and it gives us so much confidence moving on," Vasilevskiy said. "We've been playing well enough to clinch the past few games, but we have to continue to play the same way and play that way in the playoffs."

Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (45-26-6), who have won three in a row after losing their previous four.
Tampa Bay remained four points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have two games in hand, for second in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs won 3-0 at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
"We're starting to find a little identity with our team, and we've played some really good teams," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "Don't get me wrong, this score is not indicative of the team we just played. We're playing playoff teams. We've got through Boston (2-1 loss on March 25) and Carolina (4-0 win on March 28) and now the Islanders, and yeah we didn't win them all, but we've been pretty darn competitive in them."
Ilya Sorokin allowed four goals on 21 shots before being pulled in the second period for the Islanders (39-29-9), who had won two straight. Semyon Varlamov made 10 saves in relief.
New York is two points ahead of the Florida Panthers and three ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
"Overall, we had some breakdowns, a couple of mistakes, a couple of bad bounces, but it is what it is," Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri said. "I mean 5-0, 10-0, 1-0 … we're going to reset and try to win a hockey game tomorrow (at the Carolina Hurricanes)."

Mikhail Sergachev gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 17:53 of the first period when his one-timer from the left point redirected in off the shin of Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.
Tanner Jeannot made it 2-0 at 3:42 of the second period, redirecting a centering pass from Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. It was Jeannot's first goal in 18 games with the Lightning since being acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Feb. 26.
"I've been feeling good, just trying to keep it simple and play my game," Jeannot said. "The team has been playing really well. I've been getting chances in previous games, and one finally went in for me."

Kucherov extended the lead to 3-0 at 9:57 of the second, beating Sorokin blocker side on a breakaway after receiving a stretch pass from Point.
"Overall, they executed on their chances," Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. "As we went along their goaltender played well, and they just kind of built their lead and we couldn't grasp on to it."
Steven Stamkos pushed it to 4-0 at 11:45 when a cross-ice pass from Darren Raddysh redirected in off his skate.
Raddysh finished the game with two assists, his first NHL points in 16 games.
"I know bounces will come, and tonight they went in," Raddysh said. "I thought I had one a couple of nights ago, but to get that first point in the NHL, it's a good feeling. Playing with [Sergachev], he's one of the best, and I know I have a reliable partner on the other side there."

Point made it 5-0 at 13:26 of the third period, scoring blocker side through the legs of Bo Horvat from the high slot on a power play.
"We started the game fine," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "First 20 was fine. … Second period was garbage.
"Unfortunately, it was bad timing to have a game like this, but we've got an opportunity tomorrow night. So let's get back tonight, rest up tomorrow afternoon and roll tomorrow evening."
NOTES:The Lightning have qualified for the playoffs in six straight seasons. … Sergachev left the game late in the third period with an apparent lower-body injury. There was no update. … Lightning forward Alex Killorn played his 800th NHL game. He had one assist in 17:34 of ice time.