New York, Tampa Bay square off with series tied 1-1
Tampa Bay Lightning (36-17-3, third in the Central Division during the regular season) vs. New York Islanders (32-17-7, fourth in the East Division during the regular season)
Uniondale, New York; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Islanders +117, Lightning -140; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS THIRD ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning in game three of the third round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 1-1. The teams meet Thursday for the third time this season. The Lightning won the last meeting 4-2.
The Islanders are 21-4-3 at home. New York averages just 2.7 penalties per game, the fewest in the league. Ross Johnston leads the team averaging 0.7.
The Lightning are 15-10-3 in road games. Tampa Bay is 10th in the NHL averaging 5.3 assists per game, led by Victor Hedman with 0.7.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mathew Barzal has 45 total points for the Islanders, 17 goals and 28 assists. Brock Nelson has six goals and two assists over the last 10 games for New York.
Brayden Point leads the Lightning with 48 points, scoring 23 goals and collecting 25 assists. Alex Killorn has five goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
DURING THE PLAYOFFS: Islanders: Averaging 3.4 goals, 5.1 assists, 3.8 penalties and 8.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game with a .926 save percentage.
Lightning: Averaging 3.3 goals, 5.9 assists, 5.2 penalties and 12.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game with a .931 save percentage.
INJURIES: Islanders: Ross Johnston: out (undisclosed), Semyon Varlamov: day to day (upper body), Oliver Wahlstrom: out (lower body).
Lightning: None listed.
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