3 Keys: Islanders vs. Panthers, Game 4 of Cup Qualifiers

No. 7 Islanders vs. No. 10 Panthers

Noon ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV, SN, TVAS, FS-F, MSG+

New York leads best-of-5 series, 2-1

The New York Islanders will try for a second time to eliminate the Florida Panthers and advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they play Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Friday.

The Panthers avoided elimination with a 3-2 win in Game 3 on Wednesday. The Islanders won the first two games in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city.

Teams with a 2-0 lead are 56-1 (98.2 percent) winning a best-of-5 NHL series (39-1 when last used from 1980-86). The Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals in a 1985 series.

Here are 3 keys to Game 3:

1. Make 'em count

The Islanders will take more of the same in their 5-on-5 play from what they had in Game 3, only they'd like to score more.

Coach Barry Trotz said he counted four times they had a 2-on-1, including one in the first period that didn't result in a shot on goal, and several more 3-on-2 opportunities and a few breakaways. None of them resulted in goals.

"Our 5-on-5 play I'm pretty happy with to this point; a little more finish, though," Trotz said. "We had lots of chances that we didn't finish so that affects the 5-on-5."

2. Panthers power play

The Panthers scored two power-play goals in Game 3 and are 3-for-9 in the series.

The big factor on their power play in Game 3 was they had a shooting mentality. They had 10 shots on goal in 6:27 of power-play time, one fewer than they had in 48:49 at even strength.

The Panthers generate momentum on the power play when they are looking to shoot, especially when they're trying to set up forward Mike Hoffman for a one-timer, which worked for his goal 41 seconds into the third period that put Florida ahead 2-1.

"The patience level with the puck and play recognition has been in place, but the key part is we're generating zone time and offensive opportunities," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Scoring, that's the bonus, but you certainly don't want to lose your momentum in the game when you get on the power play."

3. Big game Bob

Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves on 22 shots to help the Panthers win Game 3. He stopped nine of 10 after they took a 3-1 lead 2:48 into the third. It was a good sign from a goalie who has been maligned for his play for most of the season.

Bobrovsky signed a seven-year contract with the Panthers on July 1, 2019, to be the biggest factor in the biggest games, and there are none bigger in their season to date than Game 4.

"We have full faith in him because of his work ethic and the pressure he puts on himself every day," Florida forward Brian Boyle said. "He handles these situations great."

Islanders projected lineup

Anders Lee -- Mathew Barzal -- Jordan Eberle

Anthony Beauvillier -- Brock Nelson -- Josh Bailey

Tom Kuhnhackl -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Derick Brassard

Matt Martin -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal Clutterbuck

Adam Pelech -- Ryan Pulock

Devon Toews -- Scott Mayfield

Nick Leddy -- Andy Greene

Semyon Varlamov

Thomas Greiss

Scratched:Sebastian Aho, Michael Dal Colle, Noah Dobson, Christopher Gibson, Thomas Hickey, Ross Johnston, Otto Koivula, Leo Komarov, Andrew Ladd

Unfit to play:Johnny Boychuk

Panthers projected lineup

Jonathan Huberdeau -- Aleksander Barkov -- Noel Acciari

Mike Hoffman -- Lucas Wallmark -- Evgenii Dadonov

Dryden Hunt -- Erik Haula -- Brett Connolly

Dominic Toninato -- Brian Boyle -- Mark Pysyk

MacKenzie Weegar -- Aaron Ekblad

Keith Yandle -- Josh Brown

Riley Stillman -- Anton Stralman

Sergei Bobrovsky

Chris Driedger

Scratched:Colton Sceviour, Mike Matheson, Chase Priskie, Brady Keeper, Eetu Luostarinen, Aleksi Saarela, Owen Tippett, Frank Vatrano, Philippe Desrosiers, Sam Montembeault

Unfit to play:None

Status report

Quenneville said he's hopeful that Huberdeau will be able to play. Huberdeau didn't play in the final 5:02 of Game 3 after he appeared to sustain a lower-body injury. … Quenneville also left open the possibility of bringing some of the players scratched in Game 3 back into the lineup, including Matheson, Vatrano and Sceviour. … Trotz said Boychuk is improving, but because he didn't skate Thursday, it'd be unlikely for him to play Friday. … Trotz indicated the Islanders could have one or two lineup changes from Game 3 but wouldn't elaborate.