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New York Islanders Battle Tampa Bay Lightning In Game 3: Preview, Tweets, News

The New York Islanders seek to take a 2-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

  • New York Islanders (1-1)
  • Tampa Bay Lightning (1-1)
  • NHL, 7:00 PM on TVA, NBCSN, CBC, Full Preview
  • Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

The New York Islanders have done many things over the past couple of decades, but competing in a second-round playoff matchup on home-ice wasn’t one of them – until now.

After failing to advance past the first round of the postseason for twenty-two years at their old home on Long Island, the Isles finally get the opportunity to play in front of their fans.

“The energy is going to be off the charts in this building like it has been the first three games of the playoffs,” Isles right winger Kyle Okposo said, via Joe McDonald of ESPN. “We’re looking forward to it. You’ve just got to use that energy in a positive way and you can’t be running around out of position, but at the same time you’ve got to be finishing your hits, playing with energy, playing with urgency and playing desperate out there.”

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New York was 25-11-5 at Barclays center during the regular season, and they look to carry that momentum into Game 3 on Tuesday night.

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Will the Isles be able to rebound from a disheartening loss in game two?

The New York Islanders lacked the killer instinct that has alluded them for so long during Game Two. They hope to create more scoring chances and eliminate the Bolts’ successful outlet pass at Barclays Center. Or, as head coach Jack Capuano said during the team’s morning skate on Monday: “Get to the [expletive] net and shoot the [expletive] puck.”

Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending

Isles netminder Thomas Greiss, who is 5-3 with a 2.06 goals-against average this postseason, has seemingly stolen a handful of games for the Brooklyn-based team. Capuano will need him to be particularly sharp on Tuesday night, as Ben Bishop is coming off a performance that solidifies his case for Vezina Trophy.

The Injury Scourge Continues

Although Josh Bailey will suit up again for the Isles in game three, it appears that rookie defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body) and veteran goaltender Jaroslav Halak (groin) still aren’t ready to return to action. There was muffled talk of Pulock returning to the lineup for tonight’s pivotal game, while there were reports that Halak could be right around the corner (although Greiss’ recent play has made it that Halak would spend the series on the bench, anyways).

“It’s always hard just to watch the guys from the press box or from home and not able to help,” Halak said. “But I think they’ve done a good job and obviously now I’m just trying to get back. We’ll see. Just take it day by day right now. That’s all I can do. Hopefully I’ll be back soon.”

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Justin Weiss is a staff editor at Elite Sports New York, where he covers the New York Islanders and Brooklyn Cyclones. In 2016, he received a Quill Award for Freelance Journalism. He has written for the Long Island Herald, FanSided and YardBarker.