Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders Prediction: The Islanders are still fighting for a playoff spot

Prediction for the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders match which will take place on March 31st. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Tampa Bay continues to work fruitfully to improve their standings before the Cup battles begin. The Lightning spent the first half of the regular season without much brilliance, after which they were on the edge of the playoff zone for a long time. Still, such an experienced and skilled team was obliged to add during the season, which they eventually did. In March, John Cooper's wards played at a very high level, which is why they can be considered one of the favorites in the league. In their last seven games, they allowed only one loss to Los Angeles in overtime - 4:3 and won the other six. This run has allowed Tampa Bay to reach sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Islanders are still fighting for a playoff spot, but their chances of success diminish with each passing game. The problem is not just that their rivals are actively piling up points. More importantly, the Blue and Orange looked great at the turn of February and March, winning six games in a row, but their form has deteriorated dramatically since then. In their next nine games, they managed just two wins, over Winnipeg and Florida, 6:3 and 3:2, and lost the remaining seven, six of them in regulation. Now, the New York team is tenth in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Islanders are still fighting for a playoff spot, but their chances of success diminish with each passing game. The problem is not just that their direct competitors are actively piling up points. More importantly, the Islanders looked great at the turn of February and March, winning six games in a row, but their form has deteriorated dramatically since then. In their next nine games, they managed just two wins, over Winnipeg and Florida, 6:3 and 3:2, and lost the remaining seven, six of them in regulation. Now, the New York team is tenth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Tampa Bay and the Islanders have been no strangers to high-scoring matchups lately. In six previous head-to-head meetings, the opponents have combined to score 44 goals (an average of 7.33 per game), which is high even by NHL standards. The Lightning have been particularly successful in this segment, scoring 23 of their 44 goals (3.83 average per game).