Game 6 Preview: Islanders vs Lightning

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
GAME 6 | 8PM | ROGERS PLACE
LIGHTNING LEAD SERIES 3-2
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The Islanders lived to see another game. Now they hope to see another.
Jordan Eberle scored the game-winner in double overtime of Game 5 to stave off elimination against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night. As a result, the Isles will look to try and even up their series to 3-3 in Game 6 on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET at Rogers Place.

While they're eager to have kept their season alive, they know the task won't get any easier.
"We look at it one game at a time and we have one life left," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "They have two. You tell me which has more pressure."

LINEUP COMPOSITION:

The Isles opted to dress 11 forwards and seven defenseman - matching the lineup of their opponent - for Game 5 to inject some fresh legs onto their blue line. Johnny Boychuk returned to the lineup for the first time since Aug. 1, where he had been sidelined with an upper-body injury he sustained in that game. Upon recovery at the end of the Qualifiers, Boychuk had been a healthy scratch. Boychuk played 12:04, with a team-high six blocks, five hits and 1:51 SH/TOI.
"We needed a little bump up on our backend, some renewed energy," Trotz said following Game 5. "We could take some hard minutes off our guys on the backend and spread it out a little bit more."
While Trotz did not indicate whether or not the Isles would continue to utilize the 11 forwards and seven defensemen setup in Game 6, that lineup format allowed the Islanders defense to conserve their energy, which was much needed against the high-flying Tampa offense. It also allowed the Isles forwards to see the ice more frequently. Coming into the game, Trotz addressed needing more production from his top six forwards and especially from the Anders Lee-Mathew Barzal-Jordan Eberle line.
It was Lee and Eberle who combined on the winning goal, as they capitalized on a fanned shot from Kevin Shattenkirk and were able to jet down the ice for a two-on-one rush 12:30 into the second overtime where Eberle deposited his second goal of the series.
ISLES-LIGHTNING GAME 6
ISLES-BOLTS ARTICLES
Johnny Boychuk's Return
Isles Playoff Hub
ISLES-BOLTS VIDEO
Game 5 Recap
Barzal & Lee Availability: 9/16
Barry Trotz Availability: 9/16
ISLES PLAYOFF PROMOS
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Playoff Auction
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"You look at the way we did it and guys were playing with everybody," Eberle said. "We had 11 forwards and the lines were shuffling, I don't think there even were lines. We did a really good job of being composed and being alert on the bench, just being ready wherever you got the chance to do it. The last few games, my line in particular, hasn't had a lot of success offensively so you switch things up. We've always been a team in that we win by committee and we win by committee. You get a chance with a couple of other guys and it's just fresh [opportunity]."

ISLES LOOKING TO CARRY MOMENTUM OVER:

For obvious reasons the magnitude of the win was colossal, but the Islanders know to stay in this series and keep their season alive they have to put focus on the task of winning Game 6 to, hopefully, force a Game 7.
That being said, the Isles are making a point to build off of the positives in their game like outhitting Tampa 75-70, recording 32 blocks to Tampa's 30 and converting on their first power-play opportunity of the night, and aim to carry that momentum over into Game 6.
"You still have to attack the same way that you would any other night," Lee said. "We have to try and maintain that momentum that we earned last night and carry that into the next game. Similarly, our backs are against the wall and we've got to come out flying."
The Isles know not to get ahead of themselves and how important Thursday's game will be against the Lightning, who will surely come out with vengeance. But it's a best-of-seven series for a reason and the Isles are confident that if they stick to their detailed, disciplined structure and play a full 60-minute effort they can go the distance.
"Understanding what's going to allow us to win hockey games," Trotz said. "You don't want to get in a track meet with Tampa up and down the ice, they've got some high-level guys that can execute. We've got to make it more difficult and that's the grind element of the game."

LIGHTNING NOTES:

• Victor Hedman scored Tampa's sole goal of the game which was his third of the series and eighth of the postseason. The Norris Trophy finalist became the seventh different defenseman in NHL history to score eight-or-more goals in a single postseason and the first since Brian Leetch scored 11 goals in 1994.
  - The Islanders kept Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat - who makeup two-thirds of Tampa's top line - off of the scoresheet for the first time in the series. Kucherov is tied with Brayden Point for the team - and league - lead in points with 25. The winger also has two goals in the series and six total tallies in the playoffs.
  - Tampa Head Coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on Point, who missed his second game of the series. The Islanders have won both games with Point sidelined.