Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates his goal against the Islanders with right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Chris O'Meara
So this was what all the pre-series gushing was about from every corner of the hockey world – including from the Islanders themselves – about the deep, dangerous defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning.
Forgive those of us who spent the regular season watching a numbing parade of intra-division games against the likes of the Devils and Sabres and forgot what the rest of the league looks like, especially its elite teams.