NHL Playoffs: When is Lightning vs. Islanders Game 3?

The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders will head to the Barclays Center tied at one game apiece in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

After a split in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders will head to the Barclays Center for a critical Game 3 on Tuesday evening.

Puck drop for Tuesday’s contest is set for 7:00 p.m. Eastern. NBC Sports Network will have TV coverage for Game 3, with live streaming also available on the NBC Sports Live Extra app.

Miscues piled up for the Lightning in a 5-3 Game 1 loss on Wednesday at Amalie Arena, but they looked much better all around in Saturday’s 4-1 win. Tyler Johnson raised his playoff point total to 10 with another two goals and an assist, with Jonathan Drouin and Victor Hedman also lighting the lamp for the first time this postseason.

Perhaps most importantly, goaltender Ben Bishop bounced back with 19 saves after a poor Game 1. Perhaps most impressively, the Lightning managed to shut out John Tavares, who leads the NHL with 11 points this postseason. Tampa Bay’s penalty kill was also terrific once again, with Ryan Callahan leading the way.

New York’s lone goal came from Nikolay Kulemin at the 15:15 mark of the first, but it actually carried the action for a long stretch of the game before being completely shut down in the third period by Tampa Bay. A slow start hurt the Islanders once again, as they were down 2-0 just 12 minutes in, and Thomas Greiss had one of his shakiest games of the playoffs.

Things got chippy near the end of Game 2, and that should only continue in a critical Game 3 at the rocking Barclays Center.

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