East Final preview: Red-hot Lightning clash with rock-solid Islanders

The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are set to do battle for Eastern Conference supremacy in what promises to be a highly entertaining series.

The Lightning and Islanders finished the regular season with the second- and seventh-best records in the East, respectively. The two clubs deploy different styles but each has utilized its unique methods to find postseason success.

New York won two of the teams' three regular-season meetings. They've faced off twice in the playoffs before, with the Lightning winning their most recent matchup - a 2016 second-round series - in five games.

Schedule

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Tale of the tape

How they got here

Lightning: Tampa Bay went 2-1 in the round-robin stage before dispatching the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games in Round 1. That series featured a five-overtime marathon in Game 1, but the Lightning eventually overcame the pesky Blue Jackets in both the historically long contest and the series, exorcising their demons from last season's stunning first-round sweep.

That set up a high-octane clash with the Boston Bruins - Tampa Bay's fiercest competitor in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins won Game 1 but the Lightning stormed back with four consecutive victories, capped off by Victor Hedman's double-overtime winner.

The Lightning own a 10-3 record since the hiatus and have been firing on all cylinders.

Islanders: New York tidily handled the Florida Panthers with a four-game qualifying-round win. That set up a clash with the favored Washington Capitals, where the Islanders showed they're a legitimate threat in the East by outscoring the high-flying Capitals 17-8 and advancing in five games.

New York took on the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in Round 2. The Islanders jumped out to a 3-1 series lead but dropped the following two contests to pave the way for a decisive Game 7. However, the Islanders put on a vintage Barry Trotz-led performance in the winner-take-all contest, holding the Flyers to only 16 shots on goal and claiming a 4-0 victory to reach their first conference finals since 1993.

Key players to watch

Brayden Point

Point is cementing his status as one of the league's best young players by playing at a Conn Smythe level. The 23-year-old has been a force at both ends of the ice this postseason, leading his club with 18 points - 16 at even strength - in 13 games while also boasting a dominant expected goal rate of 65.22%.

Point's also logged over 21 minutes per contest in the absence of captain Steven Stamkos, who won't make a return during this series.

Mathew Barzal

We might as well highlight each club's top center because Point going toe-to-toe with Barzal is easily this series' most exciting storyline.

Barzal, one of the NHL's most dynamic players, is having an outstanding postseason with 13 points in 16 games. He elevates his linemates with his terrific speed and playmaking abilities, and he almost always keeps the Islanders in control of the flow of the game. Barzal has 62.62% of expected goals this postseason, and New York is outscoring opponents 12-5 when he's on the ice at even strength.

If Barzal, an impending restricted free agent, can lead the Islanders to a Stanley Cup Final, you can bet he and his agent will bring that to the negotiating table with the team's brass.

Tampa Bay can win if ...

The depth steps up. While Point and linemate Nikita Kucherov have done much of the heavy lifting for Tampa Bay's offense, the bottom six hasn't gotten results. Players like Tyler Johnson (six points), Barclay Goodrow (three points), and Pat Maroon (two points), need to find ways to contribute against New York's stout defensive schemes. It'll be imperative for someone on the Lightning to pick up the slack if Tampa Bay's big guns get shut down.

Tampa Bay's lengthy layoff is another factor to monitor early in the series. The Lightning will have waited a week between games by the time the puck drops in Game 1, and any rust could go a long way in determining which team captures the early momentum.

New York can win if ...

It remains the aggressor. The Islanders play a simple yet effective system: establish a heavy forecheck, then shut their opponent's attempts to do the same. Three potent offenses in the Panthers, Capitals, and Flyers were unable to crack Trotz's methods, and it could also work against the Lightning if the system continues to run smoothly.

The Islanders are perhaps the NHL's most structurally sound unit, and it's become clear this postseason that everyone's bought into their team identity. Not veering from the game plan that brought them to this point will be crucial if they're to reach their first final since 1984.

X-factors

Victor Hedman

It's not a secret at this point, but no player in this series is capable of having a bigger impact on a nightly basis than Hedman. The Lightning blue-liner is the definition of a workhorse, having averaged 26 minutes per contest this postseason while ranking second on the team in shots (44) and in a tie for third in points (nine).

Hedman takes on top competition every night, yet Tampa Bay is outscoring opponents 13-3 at five-on-five in the playoffs when he's on the ice.

Josh Bailey

Bailey has flown under the radar as the Islanders' top postseason producer, racking up two goals and 15 assists in 16 games. He's been the catalyst in providing New York with an additional scoring punch while playing on the second line with Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier.

Bailey's also been a factor on the power play, with six of his helpers coming with the man advantage. Special teams go a long way in determining a playoff series, and Bailey has played a big role on the Islanders' top unit.