Three Islanders X-Factors in Conference Finals Showdown with Tampa | NYHN+

The Islanders are returning to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 27 years. If they’re looking to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final they’ll have to go through a tough Tampa Bay Lightning team.

New York is hoping to continue the dominating play it showcased in Game 7 of the Second Round when conference finals begin on Monday. For that to happen the Islanders will need the special teams to step, all four lines rolling and strong goaltending out of whoever is in net.

Below are three X-factors heading into Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Special Teams

The Islanders specials teams are a bit complicated when you look at it. The Penalty kill was on top of its game during their Second Round series with the Philadelphia Flyers, but the power play struggled. That is, more or less, pretty much the same story for the Islanders during this postseason as a whole.

The power play had chances in the previous round and they capitalized on four of their 19 opportunities against Philadelphia. Overall this postseason, the Islanders have had 59 opportunities on the man-advantage, but only took advantage of it on 10 occasions. Tampa Bay has gone 39-for-48 on the penalty kill during the playoffs, so the Islanders challenges on the power play will only increase.

On the flip side, the Islanders penalty kill did not allow a single goal to Philadelphia on 13 man-advantage opportunities in the Second Round. The Isles have been successful on 23 of the 28 times they’ve had to kill off a penalty in the playoffs.

Goaltending

If the Second Round proved anything, it’s that the team with the goaltender that can make the timely stop will be the one that comes out on top. Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss have given the Islanders those types of performances Against Philadelphia and they will need to do it again against Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay will be without Steven Stamkos, but they have plenty of other offensive weapons that can put up points. Brayden Point holds the team lead in scoring with 18 points ( six goals, 12 assists) and Nikita Kucherov has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 13 playoff games for Tampa.

The Islanders will need both Greiss and Varlamov to come up big when they’re in net to stave off Tampa. Varlamov showed he could do that on a number of occasions through the first three rounds the Islanders have played. Varlamov is 9-4 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. And add two postseason shutouts to that resume as well this season.

Greiss stepped up in three appearances, shutting out Philadelphia in Game 7 on Saturday. He has a 1.06 goals-against average and .960 save percentage in that span.

It’s highly likely both netminders will be called upon during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Brock Nelson

One goal shy of tying for the team goal-scoring lead and two points shy of being the top points getter, Brock Nelson has had himself quite the run in the playoffs. Nelson ended the Second with a four-game point streak (four goals, three assists) and had eight points over the course of the seven-game series.

Nelson has been a major piece of the Islanders explosive second line, which includes team goal-scoring leader Anthony Beauvillier and team points leader Josh Bailey.

The 28-year-old forward has put up seven goals and eight assists over 16 playoff games this year. Nelson also picked up his fourth multi-point game on Saturday with a goal and two assists against Philadelphia.