Islanders and Lightning. It's a series 265 days in the making. That's how longit has been since these two teamsmet in the 2020 Eastern Conference finals and when Tampa Bay won the series in six games.It's also how long it has been since they've faced each other in any kind ofgame. And here's the plot twist: In reality,it's likely this would have been the Eastern Conference final pairing if things had been per usual thisyear. So while this round has a fancy new title for 2021 Stanley Cup semifinal it's just one more nudge that things are getting back to normal. "It's a great opportunity for us seeing them again in the semifinals," said Anthony Beauvillier after hisIslanders sent the Bruins golfing. "I think we're taking a lot of pride in what we do, and to get back to the spot that we were last year with some unfinished busine s, it's a great opportunity for us. Everyone is excited in the room and we're really looking forward to it." Speaking of normal, both arenas should be rocking with fans back in the seats, especially the Na sau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Old Barn is closing its hockey doors when the Islanders' run ends, and the team is certainly sending it out in style. It has been 38years since the home team gave Lord Stanley's Cup a twirl around the ice Luis Guillorme Jersey 37 since it was in a Cup Final and this club will be itching to do it one more time. On the flip side, the defending champion Lightning areaiming for a repeat and, this time, to give the fans a chance to see it in person. But before they can even think about fulfilling their Stanley Cup dreams, they have to face each other. Tampa Bay Lightningvs. New York Islanders: Schedule, odds, breakdown, prediction Stanley Cup semifinalschedule Date Matchup Time (TV channel) Sun., June 13 at Tampa Bay 3 p.m. (NBC, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) Tues., June 15 at Tampa Bay 8 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) Thurs., June 17 at New York 8 p.m. (USA, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) Sat., June 19 at New York 8 p.m. (USA, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) *Mon., June 21 at Tampa Bay 8 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) *Wed., June 23 at New York 8 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) *Fri., June 25 at Tampa Bay 8 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) (* If nece sary) In the U.S., every game of the Lightning-Islanders series can also be streamed on . Season statistics The teams did not play against each other in 2021 because ofCOVID-19 restrictions. Here's a quick look at somestatsagainst the seven other teams in their respective divisions (per NHL.com and ): TBL STAT NYI 3.21 GF/GP 2.71 2.59 GA/GP 2.23 22.2 PP pct. 18.8 84.2 PK pct. 83.7 52.37 CF% at 5v5 48.6 98.57 xGF at 5v5 102.52 86.76 xGA at 5v5 94.62 58.12 HDGF% at 5v5 58.54 Odds Lightning -250 Islanders +200 ) Offense So here's the funny thing about all those season stats for the Lightning: Throw them out the window. They look all shiny, but they were mi sing one key element Nikita Kucherov. The Ru sian mi sed the entire regular season recovering from hip surgery and has hit the ice running in the postseason. In 11 games, he has racked up 18 points (five goals, 13 a sists), with 13 of those on the power play, and averagedan eye-popping 1.64 points per game. If you're Barry Trotz and the Islanders, you're probably thinking, "Let's shutdown Kucherov and we'll have a solid chance," right? Well, if you just focused on him, then you'd leave Steven Stamkos (13 points), Alex Killorn (12) Brayden Point (12) and defenseman Victor Hedman (11) open and those are just the players with double-digit points.That's the thing about the Lightning;they have a balanced offense acro s all four lines and their blue-liners chipin, too. The Islanders have a similar setup with their forward group, especially as of late. More known for shutting down the other team's high-octane offense, the guys from Long Island are led by . . . a guy from Long Island. Deadline pickup Kyle Palmieri has reignited the offense with a team-leading seven goals. But he's not the only one putting the puck in the net; the team boasted a 3.67 GF/GP against the Bruins in the second round. Jean-Gabriel Pageau (13 points), longtime Islander Josh Bailey (11) and Anthony Beauvillier (11) have double-digit points in the playoffs. One guy the Islanders will need to keep pace to have any succe s the rest of the way is Mat Barzal. The 2018Calder Trophy winner notched just three points in the six games against the Penguins, but he has turned it up as of late. In six games against Boston, he notched six points, including the game-winner in Game 4. Last season in the Eastern Conference finals, he contributed four a sists in six games. The Islanders' points leader in 2021 will be critical to this squad getting past the defending champion. Edge: Lightning Defense Barry Trotz knows defense. Yeah, he knows how to squeeze every last bit of offensive juice from his players, but the man knows defense. His team had the second-lowest GA/GP in the regular season at just 2.23, and since Trotzshipped up north from Washington after winning the 2018 Stanley Cup, the Long Island team has boasted a league-best 2.46 GA/GP. In the first round, Trotz sent the East Division's best team, the Penguins, into a downward offensive spiral. A crew that includes Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin went from 3.45 GF/GP in the regular season to 2.67. In the second round, the Bruins, who were at 2.93 for the 2021 season and 3.20 GF/GP for Round 1 against the Capitals, dropped to 2.83. Tampa Bay sported a 3.21 GF/GP in the regular season, which isn't too shabby, but again, it didn't have Kucherov. The Islanders have one of the worst Corsi For percentages at 5v5 (42.20) it's actually 15th out of 16 playoff teams which means they don't have the puck a whole lot and they allowa whole lot of shots against. Butthey do have the best SCSV% (percentage of scoring chance shots against that were not goals, ) at 92.23 and the third-best High-Danger save percentage (87.80). Jon Cooper's Lightning are also solid on defense and, in fact, have posted a better GA/GP than the Islanders in the postseason (2.36 compared to 2.75). It surely doesn't hurt to have the 2020 Norris Trophy winner and a 2021 Norris Trophy finalist in the corps in Victor Hedman. Then there's Mikhail Sergachev, David Savard, Jan Rutta, Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh. All but Savard were on the 2020 Cup team, so this crew knows what it takes to get to the final round. Edge: Islanders Goaltending This series may come down to the performances between the pipes. Andrei Vasilevskiy is up again for the Vezina, and for good reason. He led the league with 31 wins the Lightning won 36 total and had a shiny .925 save percentage.That was the regular season; as the importance of each game has risen, so has his level of play. "I've been around a long time and I've seen a lot of goalies that are good, but he's as good as anybody I've ever seen," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said after his team was eliminated by the Lightning. "And how he affects the team and how they can play. That's kind of what I told him. And it's true." In the playoffs, he's boasting a .934 save percentage, just .001 behind leader Carey Price,and has two shutouts, including one in the series clincher against Carolina. In 11 starts, he has a 3.57 Goals Saved Above Average and .921 High-Danger Save percentage at 5v5 ( ), both ofwhich are the best among the remaining goalies. Trotz has called on both his netminders Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin in the postseason. Varlamov has started seven games while the rookie Sorokin has gotten the tap five times. Both are displaying sparkling save percentages Sorokin is at .934 and Varlamov is at .925 but the latter has been getting the gigs lately. After Sorokin faltered in Game 1 against the Bruins and despite winning three straight vs. the Pens Varlamov has been the one in net. Edge: Lightning Special teams There's really not too much to say here other than Tampa Bay's power-play is connecting at 41.7 percent effectivene s. The Islanders' penalty killis 61.5 percent effective. Translation: You CANNOTtake penalties if you're the Islanders. The Islanders' power play, by the way, is working at a respectable 28.1 percent and the Lightning's penalty kill percentage is 77.8. But, again, you CANNOT take penalties if you're the Islanders. Edge: Lightning Key players to watch Brayden Point(TBL): The Calgary, Alta., native has been red-hot as of late with five points in the last three games, including the series winner in Game 5 against the Hurricanes. In 11 games this postseason, he has notched eight goals and 12 points and is well on his way to besting the 14 times he hit the back of the netin 23 contests in 2020 bubble hockey. He's boasting a 6.83 Expected Goals For at 5v5, which is fourth-best on the club, and has won 57.26 percent of his faceoffs taken, . Last postseason, he played in just four of the six games against the Islanders and still skated away with seven points. Kyle Palmieri(NYI): Acquired via trade around the deadline along with fellow longtime Devil Travis Zajac, Palmieri has made himself quite at home on Long Island, whichshouldn't be ashocker since the Smithtown, N.Y., native grew up about 30miles from Na sau Coliseum.After potting just four points in 17 regular-season games, he hasturned it up in the playoffs with seven goals and two a sists in 12 games. , he's seventh in the league with an individual xG of 2.65. The 30-year-old forward, who is growing back his magnificent beard for the playoffs, is also riding a five-game point-scoring streak. Lightning vs. Islanders playoff history It should also be noted that the two out of threetimes these teams have met in the postseason (regardle s of round) and the Lightning have won, they went on to win the Cup. YEAR RESULT 2020 TBL def. NYI in conference finals in six games 2016 TBL def. NYI in second round in five games 2004 TBL def. NYI in quarterfinals in five games Last five playoff appearances Tampa Bay Lightning YEAR FINISH 2020 Won Stanley Cup 2019 Lost in first round to CBJ in four games 2018 Lost in conference finals to WSH in seven games 2016 Lost in conference finals to PIT in seven games 2015 Lost in Stanley Cup Final to CHI in six games New York Islanders YEAR FINISH 2020 Lost in conference finals to TBL in six games 2019 Lost in second round to CAR in four games 2016 Lost in second round to TB in six games 2015 Lost in first round to WSH in seven games 2013 Lost in conference quarterfinals to PIT in six games Lightning vs.Islandersprediction It's hard not to think the Islanders will pull this one out and they just may because, as we've learned, you never bet againstthe mastermind, Barry Trotz but the Lightning are, soup to nuts, the more stackedteam. This club has been to the promised land. It knows what it takes and, when all is said and done, it should have a chance at going back-to-back. Prediction: Lightning in 6 Seth Beer Jersey