The Tampa Bay Lightning had unfinished business after last year's Stanley Cup Final.
The Lightning had lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, and neither head coach Jon Cooper nor any of his players were satisfied with merely getting to the championship round.
But as the 2016 playoffs started, few gave Tampa Bay a legitimate chance to return to the Stanley Cup Final and meet its goal. Superstar Steven Stamkos was sidelined with a blood clot, and defenseman Anton Stralman had a fractured fibula—and there was no telling when he would be back in the lineup.
Despite those issues, the Lightning have been the NHL's most successful team through the first two rounds of the playoffs. They whipped the Detroit Red Wings in the first round by a 4-1 margin and did the same thing to the New York Islanders.
Tampa Bay has overcome key injuries and played hard-nosed, effective hockey. The team has advanced to the Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins or Washington Capitals, and here are the biggest takeaways from its second-round victory over the Islanders.
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Article written by Steve Silverman
Lightning vs. Islanders: The Biggest Takeaways from Tampa Bay’s Series Win
May 10th, 2016 by Steve Silverman Leave a reply »
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