This Is It, Gm 82: Lines, Previews & How to Watch vs. Lightning

And just like that, the 2021-22 season has reached its final game, which means the New York Islanders will be heading into the offseason after they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 PM ET at UBS Arena.

It’s a bit poetic, the Islanders playing the Lightning to end their season, the team that knocked them out of the postseason each of the last two years. I’ll just leave it at that.

Both the Islanders and Lightning played Thursday night, the Islanders defeating the Washington Capitals 5-1 while the Lightning fell 5-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It was Semyon Varlamov and Brian Elliott for their respective clubs Thursday, which means it’s a battle between two Russian netminders Friday as Ilya Sorokin faces Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Defenseman Sebastian Aho, who was on the brutal end of a Garnet Hathaway boarding penalty Thursday night is out with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Ryan Pulock (illness) is back in the lineup. Forward Ross Johnston (illness) remained out.

Ryan Pulock missed Thursday’s contest due to an illness, along with Ross Johnston. Anthony Beauvillier was not expected to play (upper-body) but Johnston was a late scratch, and Beauvillier felt good enough.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS LINEUP (PROJECTED)

Bellows-Nelson-Bailey

Parise-Barzal-Palmieri

Lee–Pageau–Beauvillier

Martin-Cizikas-Wahlstrom

Pelech–Salo

Chara–Dobson

Aho–Greene

Sorokin

Varlamov

WASHINGTON CAPITALS LINEUP (PROJECTED)

Palat-Stamkos-Kucherov

Paul-Point-Colton

Killorn-Cirelli-Hagel

Maroon–Bellemare–Perry

Hedman–Cernak

McDonough-Foote

Sergachev–Bogosian

Vasilevskiy

Elliott

ISLANDERS GAME NOTES

Tonight, the New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third and final matchup this season, and the final regular-season game for each club.

The last time these teams met was March 27, at UBS Arena. The Islanders and Lightning each enter tonight’s game on the back-end of a back-to-back series.

The Islanders defeated Washington, 5-1, last night, and Tampa Bay was beaten in Columbus by the Blue Jackets 5-2. The Islanders are 3-0-2 in their last five regular-season finales, dating back to the 2016-17 campaign.

BETTING CORNER

The New York Islanders are the home underdogs at +160 (-150 reverse puck line) against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who come in at -195 (+130 on puck line).

The over for the contest is set at 6, with the over at +100 and the under at -120.

These lines are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.

HOW TO WATCH:

Friday’s contest will be available on MSG+.  On the radio dial, the game can be heard on 1050 AM ESPN, 88.7 FM WRHU and 103.9 FM LI News Radio.