It was on Sunday afternoon that the New York Islanders exited the Stanley Cup playoffs after a poor performance in the second round against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On the bright side, the Islanders had an impressive season with a 45-27-10 record in the regular season. They finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division and secured the first Wild Card spot in the East. This marked their best season since the 1992-93 season when they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Montreal Canadiens.
Everything seemed so promising after a fantastic upset over the No. 1 seed Florida Panthers, defeating them in back-to-back overtime wins in Games 5 and 6. However, after a couple of celebration days, they eventually came to a screeching halt of joy and ended with disappointment after playing a very strong Bolts team. Between lack of goaltending and a drought of scoring in the second round, the Islanders put this series loss on themselves.
The Sunny Side
Despite the lackluster second-round performance, it was not all disappointment for the Islanders. After backup-turned-starter Thomas Greiss entered the playoffs for the injured Jaroslav Halák, he emerged as a contender for the starting position next season after being under the radar for the longest time. Up until now, he had been either a minor leaguer or a backup goalie in the NHL.
In the playoffs, Greiss had a record of 5-6-2 and saved 358 of 388 shots for a .923 save percentage. He had a 2.46 GAA, which is more a testament to the offense he faced between the Panthers and Lightning than to an ineffectiveness in between the pipes. He held the Islanders’ fort down and was a key to the team’s success in the first round. Greiss had a decent second round, considering the breakdown in defense in front of him and the offensive prowess of the Lightning.
Unsurprisingly, captain John Tavares was another bright spot for the Islanders. He led the team with eleven points (six goals and five assists). As in the regular season, he continued to be a driving force of the offense in the playoffs. One of his highlights was clinching the series-winning goal in round one.
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The Islanders’ prized fourth line, or “The MC² Line” as fans know it, was also effective throughout each series. Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck lay hit after hit on the already injury-stricken Lightning and Panthers. Martin lead the league in hits with 69, and The MC² Line combined for 138 hits over 11 games. They also contributed 6 points through two rounds of the playoffs.
Considering that the Lightning were already without Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman, head coach Jack Capuano was smart to keep the game physical. And those hits didn’t just come from the Islanders’ checking line. Defenseman Thomas Hickey‘s hit was a scare for Lightning fans after he knocked down Jonathan Drouin, a.k.a. replacement Stamkos, on the ice… hard.
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The Downfall of the Islanders
When the Islanders upset the No. 1 seed Panthers in the first round of the playoffs, everyone thought this meant a huge playoff run. However, they entered Amalie Arena, or the Lion’s Den as it is known to fans, in round two of the playoffs like sacrificial lambs. The Lightning just came off a dominant 4-1 series win over the Detroit Red Wings and were hungry for more. Sadly, their next source of food was from the Islanders, and they wanted the food bad.
The Islanders came out strong in Game 1, taking a 5-3 overpowering victory over the Bolts, but after that, it was a straight decline from there on out. After sitting for a few days waiting for their next opponent, the Lightning needed a game to get their legs under them. The Islanders were still riding the momentum from their last series.
The Isles couldn’t prevent a strong series from Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman, and Nikita Kucherov. These were three players that they knew had to be stopped in order to go on tot he next round. But the Isles failed to do so.
Johnson’s breakout game was Game 2 in the Bolts’ 4-1 victory. He had three points (two goals and one assist) in the night and dominated the series with six points (three goals and three assists). Kucherov wasn’t a dominating player in any one single game but was a contributor nearly every game in the series. He had four points (three goals and one assist).
Defenseman Hedman was a silent killer throughout the series. He led the team with eight points in the series (four goals and four assists). A truly offensive-defenseman, but he could also be an enforcer when he necessary during the quick series.
What Happens Next
There’s no question the Islanders’ goalie situation isn’t going to harm the team in the upcoming seasons. There is a possibility that there will be numerous buyers for the breakout goalie Greiss, but the Isles will not let him go easily. They’ll want a something out of the deal. Or they may not consider parting with him after all. With Greiss’s blossoming in the playoffs, it’s nice to have security in case your starter does get injured.
Tavares also broke out this playoff season, but the Isles need more than just one offensive guy. “JT” had 33 goals, and the next top goal-scorer was Okposo with 22. There is a major production drop between the two players. With one or two more offensive talents to help the captain, the Islanders can bet on a long season ahead. It could guarantee a playoff spot in next year’s postseason with a hopefully a longer run into the Eastern Conference Finals or the Stanley Cup Finals. Nothing would beat holding that silver cup and celebrating as the new world champions.
Nonetheless, an impressive season from the Islanders ended abruptly, thanks to the Lightning. There is hope for next season with a high-production offense and a newly-found star at goaltender. Fans of the blue and orange of Long Island will be waiting for those gates to open in October to embark on a brand new season, with even better results.
