Tampa Bay VS New York, Watch Live Free

 The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are two of the top teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) and have had some exciting matchups over the years. In this article, we will take a closer look at these two teams and their recent history.

Tampa Bay Lightning:

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They were founded in 1992 and are currently members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the NHL. The team has won three Stanley Cup championships in their history, with their most recent win coming in 2020.

The Lightning are known for their explosive offense, led by superstars like Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point. They finished the regular season with a 36-17-3 record and secured the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

New York Islanders:

The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They were founded in 1972 and are currently members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the NHL. The team has won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980-1983 and have made it to the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

The Islanders are known for their strong defensive play, led by defenseman Ryan Pulock and goaltender Semyon Varlamov. They finished the regular season with a 32-17-7 record and secured the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Recent History:

The Lightning and Islanders have met in the playoffs twice in recent years, with the Lightning coming out on top both times. In the 2016 Eastern Conference Second Round, the Lightning defeated the Islanders in five games. In the 2020 Eastern Conference Final, the Lightning defeated the Islanders in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

In their most recent matchup, the Lightning and Islanders met on March 23, 2021. The Lightning came away with a 2-1 victory in a tightly contested game. The Islanders scored first, with Jordan Eberle finding the back of the net in the second period. The Lightning answered back with goals from Steven Stamkos and Yanni Gourde in the third period to secure the win.

Looking Ahead:

The Lightning and Islanders are set to meet again in the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals, with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. This matchup is sure to be highly competitive, with both teams looking to advance to the next round.

The Lightning will once again rely on their explosive offense to lead the way, while the Islanders will look to shut down their opponents with their strong defensive play. This series could come down to the goaltending matchup, with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning and Semyon Varlamov of the Islanders both capable of stealing games for their respective teams.

In conclusion, the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are two of the top teams in the NHL and have had some exciting matchups in recent years. As they prepare to face off in the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals, hockey fans can expect a highly competitive series that could come down to the wire. Whether you are a fan of the Lightning or the Islanders, this is a matchup that you won't want to miss.