New York @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 1, 2019 ) Tampa Bay 2, NY Islanders 5

The Tampa Bay Lightning responded to one of their worst defensive efforts of the season with a sharp performance last time out, and they look to carry that over when they host the New York Islanders on Monday night. The Lightning coughed up five goals in a loss to Minnesota on Thursday before weathering an early storm two days later and pulling away for a 7-1 rout of San Jose with 37 saves from Andrei Vasilevskiy.

“It’s going to read 38 shots in the end against, but (Vasilevskiy) saw them all,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters. “They weren’t huge danger zone chances, and that’s what you need to do. It was unfortunate we had to give one up late, but it was our attention to detail in our end that was a big contributor to out win (Saturday).” The Lightning, whose longest winning streak is three after matching the NHL record with 62 victories last season, must be focused again when they take on an Islanders team that knocked them off 5-2 on Nov. 1 in the middle of its franchise-best 17-game point streak (15-0-2). New York has cooled off a bit since that streak ended, going 3-4-0 after falling 3-1 at Dallas on Saturday when it allowed a pair of power-play goals on just two chances. “They’re a good hockey team,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz told reporters after the loss. “(But) I liked our effort. I like a lot of things we did. We just couldn’t find the back of the net enough and stop their power play tonight.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (19-7-2): Center Mathew Barzal recorded the only goal Saturday and has scored three times to go along with two assists in the last five games to lead the team in points (31) and plus-minus rating (plus-13). Defenseman Nick Leddy (11 points, plus-5, 23 games) left Saturday’s contest with an apparent leg injury and will be re-evaluated, which could give rookie Noah Dobson (two assists, plus-1, seven games) a chance to get back in the lineup. Thomas Greiss (10-4-0, .930 save percentage) lost his second straight game Saturday and Semyon Valamov (9-3-2, .923 SP) is likely to start Monday.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (14-10-3): Rookie forward Carter Verheaghe had one point (assist) in his first 16 NHL games before scoring once and setting up two other goals Saturday, playing on a line with captain Steven Stamkos. “I think he’s deserved more than what he’s had,” Cooper told reporters. “He’s been put in some tough situations. He had to play center. … He’s had to play up and down the lineup. Like any player, you’ve got to find your way. He’s been battling through.” Left wing Alex Killorn has goals in three consecutive games and defenseman Victor Hedman matched that while posting at least a point in five straight.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders are just 2-for-22 on the power play the last eight games and sat 19th in the league entering Sunday at 18.2 percent.

2. Tampa Bay RW Nikita Kucherov (team-best 31 points) saw his seven-game point streak end Saturday and remains two goals shy of 200 in his career.

3. New York captain F Anders Lee had a season-high three points (goal, two assists) in last month’s victory over the Lightning.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Islanders 2