Tampa Bay controlled play for much of Game 5 and outshot New York 37-24 but could not find a way to score a second time against goalie Semyon Varlamov. After Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk fanned on a shot from the right point in the Islanders zone, Eberle finised the resulting 2-on-1 with Anders Lee to score the winning goal.
Though the outcome wasn't what the Lightning wanted, they believe if they duplicate their effort in Game 6 they will have a good chance to reach the Cup Final for the first time since 2015.
"We lost a game in overtime that we didn't mind the way we played," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "We keep doing that, we're going to be OK. But yeah, adversity hits different ways. This is just another one. This year, I'm really at peace with the way this team is playing. They've got this quiet calm about them and they'll be all ready."
Tampa Bay maybe hasn't always had that quiet calm in the five seasons since its last Cup Final. The Lightning have been desperately seeking another chance since losing that series in six games to Chicago Blackhawks and have come tantalizingly close to getting it a few times.
Including the overtime loss to the Islanders in Game 5, the Lightning are 0-5 since 2015 when they had a chance to clinch a berth in the Cup Final, scoring four goals in those games. That includes blowing 3-2 series leads in the 2016 conference final against the Pittsburgh Penguins and in the 2018 conference final against the Washington Capitals.
But the biggest letdown came last season when the Lightning were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets after matching the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings' NHL record with 62 wins and winning the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the NHL (62-16-4).
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Tampa Bay has demonstrated throughout these playoffs that this season's team has a stronger resolve, avenging the upset by defeating the Blue Jackets in five games in the first round before eliminating the Boston Bruins, this season's Presidents' Trophy winners, in five games in the second round.
The Islanders pushed this series to Game 6, but one overtime loss is not going to deter the Lightning.
"Maybe five years ago in this situation, you come off an overtime loss your head's down and you're kicking the can," Cooper said. "That's not the case anymore. These playoffs, it's a marathon, and you've just got to learn to keep your emotions in check, and more importantly keep your players' emotions in check, and honestly not to overcoach. And if you're doing that and you're relying on all the things that you've done to build up to this point, we're really happy with what we've done."
History remains on Tampa Bay's side. Since the NHL adopted the conference format prior to the 1981-82 season, teams that hold a 3-1 lead in the conference finals, which the Lightning did after a 4-1 win in Game 4 on Sunday, are 35-1 (97.2 percent). The Stars held that lead against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final before winning that series in five games. The Philadelphia Flyers are the only team to fail to advance, losing three in a row to the New Jersey Devils to end the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Lightning don't know if center Brayden Point will be available Thursday after he was unfit to play Tuesday, but they believe they can play well enough to win without him after almost doing so in Game 5.
"Just keep playing the way that we're playing," Tampa Bay defenseman Zach Bogosian said after the loss Tuesday. "We have a good game plan. I think we've played well all playoffs. It would have been nice to close it out [Tuesday], but we'll have at it next game."
