Islanders: The good, bad, and ugly of facing the Tampa Bay Lightning

The New York Islanders get set for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Tonight, the New York Islanders hit the ice for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Through shortened the 2019-20 regular season, the Isles held a 2-1-0 record against the Lightning. But as we know, a regular-season record doesn’t always mean anything come to the playoffs.

After advancing past the first round for the first time in 23 years back in 2016, the Islanders ran into the Lightning in round two. It took five games for the Bolts to dispatch the Islanders. In the 2015-16 regular season, the Isles went 2-1-0 against the Lightning.

Thirteen players from that series are still in the Islanders lineup. They remember how that series went and how they had bested the Lightning two times during the season but failed to match that in the postseason.

Typically, after the Isles win a series I do a pro and con to see what matchup would be better. Going into the Eastern Conference Finals means there only possible opponent. It’s the Lightning and that’s it.

So, rather than do a pro and con, how about a good, bad, and ugly of a series against the Lightning.

What is in the Islanders favor, what is perhaps not too great for us, and what is not good at all?