TAMPA, Fla. — The Islanders and Lightning simply do not know each other well enough to feel a strong sense of dislike, but they are getting there. Other than the occasional bruise or scrape, an edge to this series couldn’t hurt. Judging from Saturday, it definitely could help the Islanders.
No, this is not advocating the chippiness that marked the end of Game 2, which the Islanders rather listlessly lost, 4-1, here at Amalie Arena. But it will be good for them to leave behind the numbing humidity of Florida, where they have been since Tuesday, and get back to Brooklyn, where there will be some bite in the air.