NFT: Lightning at Islanders, R2G3, 7pm Game Thread

A split in TB is probably about the best we could have hoped for, but game 2 has left a bad taste in everyone's mouths. What better remedy than to go out and claim the next 2 on home ice. But there needs to be a better 60 minute effort (stop me if you've heard this before).

While it's comforting to know Greiss will again guard the nets, we know that Pulock is still not greenlit for a return, so there's the possibility of Zid again (yeesh...he needs a rest), but this may also signal a Pelech sighting. We'll see. And Cappy's favorite whipping boy, Ryan Strome, sinks deeper into the doghouse and will sit in favor of the juggernaut that is...Josh Bailey. Seems like a completely logical move designed to help the team. More brilliant lineup optimization by our illustrious head coach. Cappy points out that Bailey has played 500+ games, and at this time of year, "you need experience". Hint: if the "experience" sucks, maybe avoid the experience altogether.

Here's what's on the team's minds heading into tonight:

Quote:

Cappy (on game 2): "I just think it's a function of us not moving our feet. They're a good team. They rely on their speed, their skill and quickness and deception. If you're going to stand around and watch, it's going to be a long period for you. I think for us, we know that we were real soft and we stopped taking the body. We let them create a little bit too much time and space, and that's what happens when you do that." “They’re a fast team, they’re one of the quicker teams in the league, but we’ve played against a lot of fast teams,” Capuano said. “It has to be a pack mentality. We have to work as a unit of five. When you don’t work as a unit of five, you look slow.” Boychuk: “If you sit back (against them), you’re dead. If we attack more, we’ll have more hits and be more physical. But if you’re sitting back, they have more time to build speed and come into the zone. Pretty simple. “They’re a little bit smaller and faster, so it’s tough to gauge their speed sometimes when we’re sitting back,” said Boychuk. “It’s hard to gap-up when you’re already sitting back. You’re already in the water. So, better gap. That’s what it comes down to. Better gap, [taking away] time and space.” Tavares: "We want to obviously play a lot better than we did on Saturday. We know it wasn't our best. We have to make it a lot tougher on them."

Additionally, Jaro Halak is back to practicing and could be pronounced fit soon. Promising young defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who was brought up to BPT after his WHL season with Tri City ended, signed an ELC with the Isles yesterday.

Let's Go Islanders!

Every breath a static charge --
A tongue that tastes like tin
Steely-eyed outside --
To hide
The enemy within...