Lightning 4, Islanders 1 (EN): Two quick goals in the first sink Isles

7 months ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images


Back to back goals from Raddysh and Cirelli and a top performance from Vasilevsky give the Isles a tough loss in Tampa. It’s always tough when the Islanders actually play well overall but can’t get a result. They opened the scoring, but Tampa dominated the first period. The game’s first (and nearly only) penalty of the night gave the Lightning the momentum needed to score two quick goals, something the Isles are far too comfortable giving up.
Andrei Vasilevsky was able to lock things down for Tampa once they had their lead, and despite two solid periods, the Isles just couldn’t get anything past him. It really felt like they deserved at least a point out of this game, but that’s the way it goes when the other team’s goalie plays great.
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First Period
Patrick Roy mixed up the lines again and seemed to be instantly rewarded when Kyle Palmieri opened the scoring off a sharp angle shot deflecting into the net past Andrei Vasilevsky.


pic.twitter.com/KKc1ee8EBa— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 30, 2024




Semyon Varlamov made a few great saves, stopping Michael Eyssimont and Anthony Duclair to keep it 1-0 Islanders.
Steven Stamkos drew a penalty, sending Adam Pelech to the box for tripping. On the power play, Varlamov made some more great saves, and Nikita Kucherov hit the post, but Darren Raddysh tied the game.
Then just 35 seconds later, Anthony Cirelli scored to make it 2-1 Lightning.
Second Period
Roy put the lines back in the blender for the second period, putting together new combinations, including Barzal with Cizikas and Fasching(!!??) These line combos feel a little bit like Roy just throwing things at a wall and hoping something sticks, and I wish he’d put Barzal and Horvat back together, at least, because dividing up the talent like this at this point in the season seems to have mostly resulted in a lot of disjointed hockey.
Back to the game though, Mat Barzal hit the post and Robert Bortuzzo missed a chance right in the slot, two of the biggest chances of the game for the Isles.
At the other end of the ice, Cirelli hit the post, and Varlamov made a good save on Kucherov.
At the end of the period, the Islanders had a few good chances to try to tie the game, but couldn’t get anything past Vasilevsky.
Third Period
21 seconds in to the third, Stamkos scored to make it 3-1. There was a review for a high stick, and it sure looked like a high stick, but ultimately the call on the ice was confirmed.
The Islanders kept pressing, but Vasilevsky was up to the task, and they couldn’t get anything else past him.
With a few minutes left in the game, the Isles pulled Varlamov for the extra skater, and Anthony Cirelli scored his second of the night into the empty net.
Frustrations boiled over at the end of the game after a whistle in the Isles’ defensive end, and Matt Dumba was sent to the box for roughing. Roy sent out the fourth line on that last-minute power play to run down the clock in a 4-1 loss.
Up Next
Next, the New York Islanders head to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers, one of their direct rivals for a playoff spot. The Flyers have dropped four straight, leaving them just 5 points ahead of the Islanders with two more games played. A win against them on Monday night (April Fools Day, uh oh) would really tighten the playoff race up again. ...

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