Lightning look to close out Islanders

Jason Garrison scored 94 seconds into overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning move to within one win from the Eastern Conference finals after beating the New York Islanders 2-1.

Tampa Bay, the reigning Eastern Conference champs, can move on to the final four of the NHL postseason by winning game five, which is scheduled for Sunday at Amalie Arena in Tampa.

The Lightning are on the verge of eliminating the Islanders, thanks to a three games to one lead and despite having the lead for just 66 minutes in the series.

"That experience last year, going to the final, really helped this group," Lightning right winger Ryan Callahan said.

"We just continue to go out there and work and we know we'll get those opportunities eventually with the amount of skill we have. Hopefully one of them goes in."

Garrison's goal gave the Lightning its only lead Friday night. Tampa Bay trailed until forward Nikita Kucherov tied the game 1-1 just under halfway through the third period.
Tampa Bay won back-to-back playoff games in overtime for the first time since games two and three of the 1996 opening round series against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"There's no real panic button anymore," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. "You don't know whether it's the first period or the third period on our bench.

"They're just positive about the job they have ahead of them until the last buzzer. It's been a lot of fun being around this group."

The host Islanders ended up outshooting the Lightning 16-6 in the first period, but mustered just one shot during a four-minute power play following a pair of roughing penalties on American Callahan.

"The last two games have been good hockey games -- that's how close these two teams are, it's one shot away from taking the (series) lead or not," Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said.

Garrison's winning goal came on a hectic sequence that ended with his shot from the point beating Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss.

The series included New York defenseman Calvin De Haan losing his stick. De Haan was eventually handed a stick by a teammate but the Lightning recognized that and worked the puck over to the Islanders' weak side before it was passed to Canada's Garrison for a wide open slap shot.

"It had eyes," said Capuano of Garrison's shot.

The game featured a bizarre stoppage as Greiss, of Germany, had to leave early in the second when one of his skates broke.

Backup keeper Jean-Francois Berube, making his playoff debut, stopped both shots he faced before Greiss returned to a loud ovation with 13:40 left in the period. 

Source: AFP