Amalie Arena, Tampa, was the setting for game five between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders, with Lightning leading the series 3-1 after winning the previous three games.
It took just ten seconds for the Islanders to get their first power play chance, and for the two minutes Cedric Paquette was sat in the box for high sticks against Travis Hamonic, the Islanders looked like they were ready to fight and push the series to game six. Lightning made themselves a few chances, but it was definitely the Islanders who looked the more dangerous side during this penalty.
Paquette returned to the ice, and the Islanders hadn’t managed to beat Ben Bishop and start the scoring, but for the rest of the first period, the Islanders seemed to lose their drive and it was definitely Tampa driving the game and setting the tempo.
Tampa picked up their own power play, when Alan Quine knocked Valtteri Fippula in the face with his stick, but Lighting failed to make full use of this opportunity, and only managed to generate one shot on goal for the whole two minutes.
It was well over half way through the period, when the puck was deep in the Islanders zone, Nikita Kucherov took the puck around behind the goal, but as he came out and tried to go across the front of the goal his tap back towards was knocked away and it fell to Kyle Okposo. Okposo seemed to have trouble settling it down, and Victor Hedman was there to pick it up and knocked it through traffic and in to the net.
As the period was winding down, Lightning went back on the attack again. Paquette sent the puck to Matthew Carle on the wing, who took the puck in to the corner and knocked it out to Brian Boyle as Boyle came behind the goal. Boyle tapped the puck behind himself to bring it back in front of the goal, turned and managed to lift it over Thomas Griess’ shoulder. When the buzzer went to signal the end of the period, the score was 2-0 to Lightning.
Minutes in to the second, Travis Hamonic earned a roughing penalty.  The puck had been frozen and Hamonic gave Paquette a shove. Paquette shoved back, and Hamonic continued the shoving, ending up with Paquette on the ice.
Lightning went on the attack, Hedman taking the puck to the Islanders blue line, and sending it in to the area. Tyler Johnson picked up the puck, and sent it on to Jonathan Drouin. Drouin couldn’t get a good chance on the goal, so used the boards to send the puck back to Hedman, whose one timer put the home team up by three.
Ryan Callahan hit Nick Leddy hard in the corner of the ice, behind the Islanders goal line, and it seemed to take Leddy ages to get up and make his way back to the bench. Calvin de Haan hopped on to the ice and got straight in to the action, as the Islanders had gone on a short handed attack. As soon as Bishop got hold of the puck, the Islanders turned and let the Lightning team know what they thought of what had just happened, a few of them actively looking for Callahan. The officials got in there quickly though, and shut things down.
Tampa ended up with a power play from this, as John Tavares had gone after Callahan, and received two minutes for slashing. He received a second penalty, along with Andrej Sustr, as Sustr had gone in to defend Callhan so Sustr and Tavares traded blows. Tavares second penalty, was sat by Ryan Strome.
The Islanders, managed to kill off this penalty, but the penalty box is a busy place. Paquette knocked the puck over the ice, earning himself a delay of game penalty, and as he did this Matt Martin had a big collision with Sustr, so received two minutes for interference. The way Martin closed the penalty box door, told everyone what he thought of the penalty.
This gave some 4 on 4 hockey for fifty seconds, with the Lightning still leading 3-0, and content to run the clock down to the next break.
Both teams made it back to full strength, then Paquette came in hard on Johnny Boychuk, lifting Boychuk off his feet and hitting him in to the boards. While on the power play, Tavares took a huge shot from the faceoff circle, beating Bishop, but ringing the post like a bell.
Paquette returned to the ice, and the score remained the same, but the Islanders had come alive. Everyone ended up in Bishop’s crease, Bishop clearly had no idea where the puck was, and everyone was digging at it with lots of pushing and shoving. By the time the ref restored order, the puck was found under Bishop.
With just over fifteen to play, the puck was knocked towards the Tampa blue line by Alex Kilorn where it was picked up by Nikita Kucherov. Kuckerov went flying down the ice, the Islanders struggling to keep pace with him, and not getting anywhere near in front of him, which put Kucherov one on one with Greiss. With cool, calm composure, Kucherov scored his ninth playoff goal of the year, by slotting the puck between Greiss’ legs.
Seconds after the faceoff, Boychuk gave the Lightning another power play, after he cross checked Paquette. Islanders continued trying to attack, despite being a man down, and Cal Clutterbuck managed to send the puck right through Bishop’s crease, but Tampa managed to get the puck back and went on an attack of their own.
Islanders, killed off the penalty, but with just eleven and a half to go, they were the wrong side of a 4-0 score line.
After a turnover in the Lightning end, Kucherov was going one on one with Greiss, Thomas Hickey managed to get in behind Kucherov, and without even seeming to go for the puck, Hickey swung his stick hard, hitting Kucherov in the shoulder, and gifting Tampa yet another power play.
With just ninety seconds on the clock, the Tampa fans were going crazy, and when the announcement came that they were inside the final minute the crowd were on their feet screaming their joy at having made it to the East Coast finals.
The Islanders hadn’t given up, and clearly wanted a consolation goal, but Bishop wouldn’t be beaten, and his shut out ended the Islanders hopes of making it through to the next round.
Tampa Bay Lightning will face either the Pittsburgh Penguins, or the Presidents Trophy winners, the Washington Capitals once that series has been decided. Currently Penguins are leading 3-2.
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