3 reasons why the Lightning will beat the Islanders

For only the second time in NHL history, the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The two clubs met in the first round of the 2004 postseason, with the Islanders serving as the first of four to fall by the wayside during the Lightning's first and only Cup win.

This time around, the teams will face off after having already won a series, as the Islanders knocked off the Florida Panthers in six and the Lighting - the current defending conference champions - took care of the Detroit Red Wings in five.

The Islanders took the season series 2-1, outscoring Tampa Bay by a margin of 12-11.

Here's why the Lightning will return to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season.

Triplets 2.0

The Lightning line of Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson, and Nikita Kucherov - dubbed "Triplets 2.0" - straight-up dominated in the first round, combining for 20 points over the course of five games.

And it's the talented Russian winger who's leading the way.

This trio played together sporadically during the regular season, and it was Ondrej Palat who was featured on the first iteration of the Triplets line in lieu of Killorn.

Steven Stamkos remains a massive loss, but Kucherov and Johnson have proven to be able to carry the team, and the league's hottest line will remain near impossible to contain, especially for an Islanders team that's allowed a playoff-high 39.2 shots per game.

Goliath in net

Ben Bishop was one of the best goalies back in the regular season, and is showing no signs of being less dominant when it matters most.

He stands 6-foot-7, and certainly stood tall against Detroit, posting a .950 save percentage, while allowing just eight goals on 160 shots against. That success rate is up from .926 in the regular season, where he ranked second in that category among goalies with at least 41 appearances.

Bishop has also proven to lock it down in critical situations.

X-factor: Jonathan Drouin

Jonathan Drouin's world continues to turn, and fast.

The 21-year-old forward, previously suspended for failing to report to an AHL game after making a public trade request, is back with the big club and making an impact in the offensive zone.

Drouin recorded fours assists against the Red Wings, three of which came on the power play. He also fired 13 shots on goal, and commanded the attention of defenders who would previously have been tasked with slowing Stamkos down.

His long-term standing with the Lightning remains up in the air, but more positive performances could be invaluable when it comes to sinking the Islanders.

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