After a gutsy 5-3 victory over the Lightning in Game 3 Friday, the Islanders have proved to Tampa Bay that it won’t be easy, and cut the series deficit in half. Now, suddenly, we have a close series.

There is not much deliberation about who is the most stacked team left, and that is the Tampa Bay Lightning. It would take a LOT to go right for the Islanders to defeat the Lightning and advance to the Stanley Cup Final. They have to win three out of the next four games and it will be extremely hard. But they can do it.

Islanders vs Lightning: A Brand New Series

Game 3 was an impressive victory for the Islanders for reasons that go far beyond hockey. It was a gut check, and New York rose to the occasion. Brayden Point and Alex Killorn may have been out, the special teams may have been bad, most of the game may have been played in the Islanders’ zone, but, regardless, the Islanders found themselves, and essentially, saved their season. The best teams win games they’re not necessarily supposed to, even if it wasn’t pretty, and that is exactly what New York did.

That being said, this series is far from over. Heading into Game 4, the Islanders have the momentum in their favor. And it’s going to be a bloodbath.

“They don’t like us and we don’t like them,” Mikhail Sergachev said after Game 3.

There were 70 combined penalty minutes in a chippy Game 3, and it is now going to be a war to the end.

Despite some mistakes, there were some important things the Islanders did in Game 3 to get themselves back into this series. They CAN and they WILL beat the Lightning if they continue to do the following:

1. Keep a Winning Mentality

Things haven’t necessarily gone the Islanders’ way for the majority of the first few games. Not only are they playing the best team in the NHL, but some crushing losses and events have happened in that three-game span:

• Got obliterated 8-2 in Game 1
• Had to fly, move hotels, play a Game 7 and a Game 1 within two days
• Lost in the last seven seconds of Game 2
• Had to play without Casey Cizikas for Game 3
• Blew a two-goal lead in the third period of Game 3

None of that seemed to phase them though. When the Lightning evened the score at 3 by scoring two consecutive goals in the third, it felt like Tampa had all of the momentum in the world and were going to run away with the game and the series.

However, the Islanders still fought back and won the game despite all of the previous outcomes and shortcomings. This is where having a spectacular coach like Barry Trotz comes in handy. Your team is never off their game mentally and are ready for whatever comes their way.

Despite not having the most playoff experience, they have stayed composed and don’t let anything affect their mindset.

2. Frustrate the Lightning

At the end of Game 3, the Lightning got visibly frustrated. Jean-Gabriel Pageau broke in alone on the empty net, and was given a two-hand slash from behind by Nikita Kucherov. This was not a matter of defense, but just pure frustration.

You would think it would be the other way, as the Lightning still have a 2-1 series lead, but the Lightning had the Islanders hanging by a thread only for them to let it slip away, triggering the frustration. Several fights broke out afterward, including Matt Martin on Barclay Goodrow, who threw a cheap shot at an already injured Brock Nelson in Game 2.

With 70 combined penalty minutes and over 100 combined hits in Game 3, both teams played with a chip on their shoulder, and at the end, the Lightning looked rattled. The Islanders will almost always win the physical battle, and if that is how Tampa wants to play, the Islanders will gladly take that.

3. Rattle Vasilevskiy

Andrei Vasilevskiy has been superb all playoffs, with a .933 save percentage coming into Game 3. He allowed just three goals on 52 shots in the first pair of games against New York, but finally was solved in Game 3.

Cal Clutterbuck struck first in Game 3 on a goal when Vasilevskiy’s pad came undone. The rule is the referee can only bow the whistle when the helmet is removed, so the play continued for Clutterbuck’s first of the postseason. From that point forward, Vasilevskiy didn’t play poorly but not nearly on par with how he did in the first two games.

On Anthony Beauvillier’s goal, while hugging the post, Vasilevskiy went down awkwardly when the puck entered the net. On Brock Nelson’s game winning goal, Nelson went upstairs on the far side and Vasilevskiy threw his pad up in the air to try to get it.

Vasilevskiy made a fair share of big saves, but he looked slightly rattled and shaky. Something was very much off in Game 3. The Islanders can’t afford to give him any breathing room in Game 4, and get opportunities, and a goal, early so that Vasilevskiy can’t get back to his game.

Can the Islanders comeback in this series and advance to the Stanley Cup? Only time will tell.

Islanders vs Lightning: Upcoming Schedule

Game 4- Sun, 9/13 @ 3:00 PM- Lightning vs Islanders (NBC)

Game 5- Tue, 9/15 @ 8:00 PM- Islanders vs Lightning (NBCSN)

Game 6 (if necessary)- Thu, 9/17 @ 8:00 PM- Lightning vs Islanders (NBCSN)

Game 7 (if necessary)- Sat, 9/19 @ 7:30 PM- Islanders vs Lightning (NBC)

John Smark