Braydon Point and the well-rested Tampa Bay Lightning resembled a refreshed team eager to come off an extended break after switching cities in the NHL playoff bubble.
The New York Islanders, on the other hand, looked predictably travel and game-weary.
Point scored twice and added three assists in an 8-2 romp over the Islanders to open the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday.
Photo: AFP
The Lightning showed no rust after eliminating the Boston Bruins on Monday last week.
The Islanders, by comparison, came out flat, looking like a team who spent Sunday flying to Edmonton, Alberta, from Toronto a day after a 4-0 win over Philadelphia in Game 7 of their second-round series.
“Let’s be honest, this is a one-off. They had to grind through a seven-game series, and then travel and play and change time zones,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “Now we’re on even terms. There’s no travel. Everyone gets the same rest. It’s easy to say now that the game turned out the way it did. Bottom line is, you’ve got to take advantage of a tired team.”
Game 2 is to be played today.
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