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EXACTLY What will Happen Islanders vs Lightning. Get your Final 4 Picks in.

June 13, 2021, 9:57 AM ET [68 Comments]
Eklund
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Here we go!

It's the Final Four, and an intriguing Final Four it is...Tomorrow we will do a deep dive into Montreal and Vancouver, but today we get a good ole fashioned, old-school semi-final rematch...Tampa vs the NY Islanders...

There is something very cool today about the simple fact that we will be seeing two teams play today who haven't played each other all year and haven't even played anyone the other team has played....It makes thes predictions considerably tougher...

These teams did meet within the past 365 days however, the Lightning won the series in 6...They also met three times last season....

The interesting thing about those 9 games is that, with the exception of Game 1 in last year playoffs, an 8-1 Tampa blowout, the Islanders managed to keep the Lightning scoring down. Including the playoffs, Tampa scored only 18 goals in the other 9 games.

These teams are very similar to the two teams who met last year...The Islanders may have progressed a little more...are a little more well-rounded, a little better at the Trotz way...The Lightning were amazing and still are....The play of Vazy has been a little less consistent....but we are talking by degrees here..

This will come down to the classic two factors I always feel the tightest playoff series are tied to...Special Teams and Goaltending....

The Lightning power play is ridiculous. Plain and simple they are going to score power play goals...this makes them scary, not only with the man advantage, but even strength as teams have to play off them a bit...afraid to take penalties. The Isles are good at staying out of the box...

In goal for the Isles it could be interesting...I tend to lean towards Sorokin against teams that are this quick and require more sided to side movement...keep in mind, Tampa has NEVER played against Sorokin as well... Varly will start the series, but who ends the series is an interesting question...

Another X Factor here has to be the Nassau Coliseum. The Isles and their fans are on a mission to keep playing hockey in the old barn. Winning on the Island will be almost impossible...

My pick...Islanders in 6


What are your picks for the two series we have left?
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