After their worst playoff loss in franchise history on Monday, the New York Islanders answered back on Wednesday with a 3-2 overtime win.  Anthony Beauvillier scored the game-winning goal less than two minutes into the extra period and the Islanders forced a Game 7 against the Lightning in Tampa Bay on Friday.

The Bolts are -177 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with a total of 5.0.

Islanders vs. Lightning Stanley Cup Odds

The Isles are hoping they have a better result at Amalie Arena, as they’ve lost 10 of their last 14 games in Tampa.  Scoring has been at a premium for New York and they’ve hit the Over in five of their last six road games.  They now sit at +375 to win the Stanley Cup.

Tampa has been comfortable at home through the playoffs, winning five of their last seven games at Amalie Arena.  They also currently boast three of the top-4 Conn Smythe favourites in Nikita Kucherov (+385), Brayden Point (+402) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (+501), who only trail Montreal’s Carey Price (+237).  The Bolts are +137 favourites to win the Stanley Cup.

New York Islanders

Despite trailing 2-0 at the midway point of Game 6, New York found a way to stay in the game and grind out a win.  Jordan Eberle and Scott Mayfield scored in regulation, while Beauvillier’s first goal in 11 games and fifth of the playoffs was the OT winner.  After getting called out by Barry Trotz for taking a bad penalty in Game 5, Mathew Barzal responded with two assists on Wednesday.  Semyon Varlamov also had a bounce-back game, making 22 saves two days after he was pulled early in Game 5.

The Islanders have now improved to 8-2 all-time when facing elimination at home in a Game 6.  The one concerning aspect of the game for New York, was that they trailed early again.  It’s the 18th straight game the Isles have trailed at the end of the first period.  It was also the first time in this series the team that didn’t score first won the game.  New York is now 6-6 in these playoffs when giving up the first goal of the game.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Point extended his goal streak to nine straight games and Anthony Cirelli added a goal and an assist himself, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done for Tampa in Game 6.  If Point scores in Game 7, he will tie the all-time NHL playoff record of 10 straight games with a goal, set by Reggie Leach in 1976 with the Philadelphia Flyers.  Vasilevskiy made 25 saves in the loss, but it’s a little concerning to see how the two regulation goals went in.  The first goal was a weak backhand from the slot and the second goal went in over Vasilevskiy’s short side from an awkward angle that should have been stopped.

Even more concerning than Vasilevskiy’s off-night for Tampa, is Kucherov’s status.  Kucherov only lasted one shift in the game before leaving after taking a cross-check from Mayfield.  There was no update on his condition after the game, so it’s a situation worth monitoring.  After missing the entire regular season, Kucherov is leading the NHL in playoff scoring with 27 points (5G, 22A) and needless to say, it would be a huge loss for the Bolts if he can’t go for Game 7.

NHL Playoff Prediction: Who Will Win Islanders vs. Lightning?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Islanders Team Leaders

NYI

Points	Mathew Barzal 45
+ / -	Ryan Pulock 15
Shots	Mathew Barzal 134
Penalty Mins	Mathew Barzal 48
Wins	Semyon Varlamov 19
GAA	Semyon Varlamov 2.04

TB

Points	Brayden Point 48
+ / -	Barclay Goodrow 16
Shots	Victor Hedman 136
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 60
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 31
GAA	Andrei Vasilevskiy 2.21

NYI

Points	Mathew Barzal 14
+ / -	Scott Mayfield 12
Shots	Anthony Beauvillier 53
Penalty Mins	Matt Martin 43
Wins	Semyon Varlamov 7
GAA	Semyon Varlamov 2.56

TB

Points	Nikita Kucherov 32
+ / -	Ryan McDonagh 18
Shots	Nikita Kucherov 62
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 37
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 16
GAA	Andrei Vasilevskiy 1.9

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Lightning Team Leaders

NYI

Points	Mathew Barzal 45
+ / -	Ryan Pulock 15
Shots	Mathew Barzal 134
Penalty Mins	Mathew Barzal 48
Wins	Semyon Varlamov 19
GAA	Semyon Varlamov 2.04

TB

Points	Brayden Point 48
+ / -	Barclay Goodrow 16
Shots	Victor Hedman 136
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 60
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 31
GAA	Andrei Vasilevskiy 2.21

NYI

Points	Mathew Barzal 14
+ / -	Scott Mayfield 12
Shots	Anthony Beauvillier 53
Penalty Mins	Matt Martin 43
Wins	Semyon Varlamov 7
GAA	Semyon Varlamov 2.56

TB

Points	Nikita Kucherov 32
+ / -	Ryan McDonagh 18
Shots	Nikita Kucherov 62
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 37
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 16
GAA	Andrei Vasilevskiy 1.9

Injuries

NY Islanders

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C)

Prob Thurs Undisclosed - 16 / 06 / 21

Michael Dal Colle (LW)

Prob Tues Undisclosed - 27 / 05 / 21

Oliver Wahlstrom (RW)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 25 / 05 / 21

Semyon Varlamov (G)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 13 / 05 / 21

Mathew Barzal (C)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 04 / 05 / 21

Leo Komarov (RW)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 04 / 05 / 21

Matt Martin (LW)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 04 / 05 / 21

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 03 / 05 / 21

Semyon Varlamov (G)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 27 / 04 / 21

Josh Bailey (RW)

Prob Tues Undisclosed - 16 / 04 / 21

Tampa Bay

Tyler Johnson (C)

Prob Fri Undisclosed - 02 / 07 / 21

Ross Colton (C)

Prob Fri Undisclosed - 02 / 07 / 21

Alex Killorn (LW)

Ques Fri Foot - 29 / 06 / 21

Nikita Kucherov (RW)

Ques Fri Upper Body - 23 / 06 / 21

Jan Rutta (D)

Prob Wed Undisclosed - 22 / 06 / 21

Erik Cernak (D)

Ques Fri Upper Body - 21 / 06 / 21

Anthony Cirelli (C)

Prob Thurs Undisclosed - 16 / 06 / 21

Erik Cernak (D)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 31 / 05 / 21

David Savard (D)

Ques Sat Upper Body - 30 / 05 / 21

Nikita Kucherov (RW)

Ques Mon Leg - 22 / 05 / 21

Injuries

NY Islanders

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C)	Prob Thurs	Undisclosed - 16 / 06 / 21	3-2	2-1-2	+ -
Pageau is nursing an undetermined injury, but it is likely that he will lace up against the Lightning in Game 3 of the NHL semifinals.
Michael Dal Colle (LW)	Prob Tues	Undisclosed - 27 / 05 / 21	10-3	7-3-3	+ -
Dal Colle is dealing with an undisclosed injury, but it is likely that he will dress for Game 2 of the NHL semifinals against the Lightning.
Oliver Wahlstrom (RW)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 25 / 05 / 21	11-3	7-4-3	+ -
Wahlstrom is out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, and it is uncertain how long he will be idle.
Semyon Varlamov (G)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 13 / 05 / 21	15-4	9-6-4	+ -
Varlamov is managing an unknown injury, and it is unknown if he will be in the line up for Game 2 of the East Division semifinals versus the Penguins.
Mathew Barzal (C)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 04 / 05 / 21	16-7	12-7-4	+ -
Barzal has missed the last two games due to an undefined ailment, and it is unknown if he will face the Devils on Saturday.
Leo Komarov (RW)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 04 / 05 / 21	16-7	12-7-4	+ -
Komarov has been held out of the last two contests with an unspecified injury, leaving his status against the Devils on Saturday hazy.
Matt Martin (LW)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 04 / 05 / 21	16-7	12-7-4	+ -
Martin sat out the previous contest with an unknown ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will be available for Thursday's matchup with the Devils.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 03 / 05 / 21	17-7	12-8-4	+ -
Pageau sat out the last game with an undisclosed issue, and it remains to be seen if he will take the ice on Tuesday versus the Sabres.
Semyon Varlamov (G)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 27 / 04 / 21	19-8	13-10-4	+ -
Varlamov sat out the previous game with an unspecified injury, and it is uncertain if he will be available for Thursday's matchup with the Rangers.
Josh Bailey (RW)	Prob Tues	Undisclosed - 16 / 04 / 21	20-12	14-13-5	+ -
Bailey has missed the previous two contests with an undisclosed injury, but it is likely that he will be active Tuesday versus the Rangers.

Tampa Bay

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Tyler Johnson (C)	Prob Fri	Undisclosed - 02 / 07 / 21	2-1	1-1-1	+ -
Johnson is dealing with an undefined issue, but he is expected to lace up versus the Canadiens in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Ross Colton (C)	Prob Fri	Undisclosed - 02 / 07 / 21	2-1	1-1-1	+ -
Colton is projected to face the Canadiens in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals despite an unspecified ailment.
Alex Killorn (LW)	Ques Fri	Foot - 29 / 06 / 21	3-1	2-1-1	+ -
Killorn is bothered by a foot injury, and it has yet to be established if he will suit up for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Canadiens.
Nikita Kucherov (RW)	Ques Fri	Upper Body - 23 / 06 / 21	4-3	3-2-2	+ -
Kucherov is bothered by an upper-body injury, and it is up in the air if he will lace up for Game 7 of the NHL semifinals versus the Islanders.
Jan Rutta (D)	Prob Wed	Undisclosed - 22 / 06 / 21	4-3	3-2-2	+ -
Rutta is bothered by an unspecified ailment, but it is anticipated that he will dress for Game 6 of the NHL semifinals versus the Islanders.
Erik Cernak (D)	Ques Fri	Upper Body - 21 / 06 / 21	4-4	3-2-3	+ -
Cernak is managing an upper-body injury, and it is uncertain if he will take on the Islanders in Game 7 of the NHL semifinals.
Anthony Cirelli (C)	Prob Thurs	Undisclosed - 16 / 06 / 21	5-5	4-3-3	+ -
Cirelli is managing an unspecified ailment, but it is expected that he will be available for Game 3 of the NHL semifinals versus the Islanders.
Erik Cernak (D)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 31 / 05 / 21	9-7	5-8-3	+ -
Cernak is battling an undefined issue, and it is unclear if he will lace up for Game 2 of the Central Division finals versus the Hurricanes.
David Savard (D)	Ques Sat	Upper Body - 30 / 05 / 21	10-7	5-9-3	+ -
Savard is managing an upper-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will take on the Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Central Division finals.
Nikita Kucherov (RW)	Ques Mon	Leg - 22 / 05 / 21	11-9	7-10-3	+ -
Kucherov is dealing with a left leg injury, and it has yet to be established if he will face the Panthers in Game 5 of the Central Division semifinals.