New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning 6/25/21 - NHL Picks & Predictions

The New York Islanders visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday for the seventh and deciding game of their NHL semifinals best-of-seven series. The Islanders tied the series at 3-3 with a 3-2 victory in overtime on Wednesday in Game 6, Anthony Beauvillier scored in the extra period to give the Islanders the victory. New York had trailed by a score of 2-0 in the second period but scored the game's final three goals.

Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri are the leading goal scorers for New York during the postseason with seven apiece. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is the leader in assists with 10, while Josh Bailey is the overall points leader with 13. Scott Mayfield has a team-high 11 plus/minus. In goal, Semyon Varlamov is 6-6-0 with a goals-against average of 2.74 and save percentage of .919.

Tampa Bay must put the disappointing loss in Game 6 behind them or risk being eliminated in the series’ final game on Friday. Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli scored in the loss for Tampa Bay. The Lightning also may have lost Nikita Kucherov, who was injured and his first shift of Wednesday's Game 6 and did not return. Kucherov was cross-checked by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield but a penalty was not called on the play.

Brayden Point is leading Tampa Bay in goals scored in the postseason with 13, while the leader in assists is Nikita Kucherov with 22. The right wing is also the leader in overall points with 27. Ryan McDonagh has a team high 12 plus/minus. In goal, Andrei Vasilevskiy is 11-5-0 with a 2.05 goals against average, .936 save percentage and three shutouts.