Improving Islanders Beat Lightning 5-1 Behind Great Goaltending

The Tampa Bay Lightning may run away and hide from the competition in the NHL Eastern Conference, but the New York Islanders put a bump in that road with a 5-1 win in New York. It was just the 2nd regulation lost in Tampa Bay’s last 21 games.

The Islanders scored three times in the first period and tallied one more in the second and third periods. Five different players scored for New York, and goalie Thomas Greiss had 38 saves. Tampa Bay is 39-9-2 (72 points, tops in the entire Eastern Conference, while the Islanders are 25-15-4 (54 points), fourth in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference and seventh overall in the East.

Last season, the Islanders finished 11th in the East, with 80 points (35-37-10). They lost star center John Tavares, who had 37 goals and 47 assists, to the Toronto Maple Leafs via free agency, causing a great deal of angst and bitterness in the Islander faithful. But over the summer, the Islanders hired Barry Trotz as head coach. Trotz was coming off a Stanley Cup championship with the Washington Capitals, but the two sides could not work out contract issues, and the coach resigned.

There is another area of vast improvement for New York this season. Last season, the Islanders allowed a league worst 3.57 goals per game. This season, they are third best with just 2.59 goals per game, behind the Boston Bruins (2.58) and Nashville Predators (2.57). Greiss had a career worst 3.82 goals against average and .892 save percentage while going a respectable 13-8-2 in 27 games. This year he has a 2.62 GAA and .918 save percentage, with a record of 13-8-1 in 25 games. Last year’s starter, Jaroslav Halak (20-26-6, 3.19, .908) signed with the Boston Bruins. He was replaced by Robin Lehner, formerly of Buffalo, who signed as a free agent after the Sabres declined to make a contract offer. Lehner has been a great pickup. Through games of January 13th, Lehner leads the NHL with a 2.21 GAA and had a .926 save percentage. Lehner is 12-7-3. After two seasons of not making the playoffs, the Islanders are in a good spot to make it to the post season as a Wild Card.