To the Islanders, Monday night’s 8-0 thrashing at the hands of the Lightning was just another loss they have to overcome, no matter the fashion it came in.
The Isles looked like a shell of themselves in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinal series, borderline a different team than they’ve been throughout the entire playoffs. There was no structure, minimal discipline and zero offensive drive, which resulted in the Islanders’ most lopsided loss in franchise playoff history — and easily the worst defeat of the Barry Trotz era.
But Trotz has been preaching to his players that the journey to something as rewarding as a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup doesn’t always happen the way you envision it. It’s how the team reacts to facing elimination in Game 6 on Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum that counts.
While nothing seemed to go right for the Islanders and there was absolutely no puck luck on their side Monday, the team was given a break Tuesday. After Mathew Barzal was ejected from Game 5 at the end of the second period for cross-checking Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta, the Isles star center was only charged with a $5,000 fine instead of a suspension.
“You wake up in the morning and it’s a new day,” Casey Cizikas said Tuesday. “That’s the beauty of the playoffs. You’re going to see a much different team [Wednesday] night.”
The Islanders know it’s going to take a heck of a lot more than the spiritless performance they had in Game 5. The lack of restraint was the most glaring part of the loss. Staying out of the penalty box has been the Isles’ No. 1 rule against the Lightning this series, considering Tampa Bay owns one of the deadliest power plays in the NHL. Still, the Islanders allowed their frustrations to get the better of them and the Lightning capitalized on three of six man-advantage opportunities.
“If we were in the backyard with all the guys having a cold one, you would hear them all say the same thing: That wasn’t us, that wasn’t our game, we’re better than that,” Trotz said.
The last time the Lightning posted back-to-back losses in the playoffs was two years ago when they were swept by the Blue Jackets in the first round. Yes, Tampa Bay didn’t drop two games in a row once on their way to its Stanley Cup title in the bubble playoffs last season. And the streak has continued this postseason.
So the Islanders have no choice but to be the first NHL team in two years to hand the defending champions two consecutive losses if they want to keep their season alive and reach their first cup final since 1984.
The Lightning will be looking to close out the series and the Islanders’ days at the Coliseum, the team’s home since 1972 (though there were also a few seasons at Barclays Center). The Isles hope to not only force a Game 7, but overcompensate for a very uncharacteristic loss in Game 5.
“Whatever we have left,” Trotz said, “they’ll get our best.”