NHL MORNING SKATE: PLAYOFFS EDITION – SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

THREE HARD LAPS

* Brayden Point, who returned to the Lightning lineup after a one-game absence, registered his sixth multi-point game this postseason as Tampa Bay moved within one win of the Stanley Cup Final.

* The first three goals in Game 4 between the Lightning and Islanders were scored in a 27- second span, with Brock Nelson opening the scoring and Blake Coleman and Ondrej Palat tallying 12 seconds apart to erase the 1-0 deficit.

* The Stars look to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in over 20 years when they face the Golden Knights in Game 5.

POINT, KUCHEROV, PALAT LEAD LIGHTNING TO WITHIN ONE WIN OF FINAL The line of Brayden Point (1-1—2), (0-2—2) and Ondrej Palat (1-1—2) combined for 2-4—6 as the Lightning scored four unanswered goals – including two in a span of 12 seconds – to defeat the Islanders and move within one win of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in franchise history (also 2004 & 2015).

* Tampa Bay owns a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series for the ninth time in franchise history. The Lightning went 8-0 in the eight previous series, including seven instances where the clinching win was earned in Game 5.

* Point (9-16—25 in 16 GP) and Kucherov (6-19—25 in 17 GP) lead the Lightning with 25 points apiece this postseason, while Palat (8-5—13 in 17 GP) owns a share of the third-most. Point and Kucherov moved into a tie with Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (9-16—25 in 15 GP) for the most points among all players this postseason.

* Point and Kucherov need one point to match the franchise record for most in a playoff year, a mark set by (12-14—26 in 23 GP) during Tampa Bay’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2004.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has started in all 17 games contested by the Lightning this postseason and has yet to be relieved, made 26 saves to improve to 13-4 with a 1.93 goals- against average and .930 save percentage. His record includes a 4-0 mark in the game immediately following a loss.

LIGHTNING, ISLANDERS COMBINE FOR THREE GOALS IN 27-SECOND SPAN New York forward Brock Nelson opened the scoring at 11:27 of the second period, but Lightning forward Blake Coleman pulled Tampa Bay even 15 seconds later and teammate Ondrej Palat (1-1—2) gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead just 12 seconds after they tied the game. The three tallies in a span of 27 seconds were tied for the third-fastest three goals in NHL history by both teams in a postseason game.

* Tampa Bay’s two tallies in a span of 12 seconds are a franchise record for fastest two goals in a postseason game. They eclipsed the previous mark of 15 seconds set in Game 3 of the 2020 Second Round versus the Bruins (7-1 W).

MEDIA REMINDER: Schedules and recordings of all Zoom media availabilities (including post- game) and practices are available daily on the NHL’s media site – you must have an account to access this content. The 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs Information Guide as well as team playoff media guides also are available on the site.

QUICK CLICKS

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STARS LOOK TO CLINCH FRANCHISE’S FIFTH STANLEY CUP FINAL BERTH The Stars look to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in franchise history when they face the Golden Knights in Game 5 of their Western Conference Final series.

* The reached the Stanley Cup Final twice (1981 & 1991) and the Stars have clinched two berths in the championship series since relocating to Texas ahead of the 1993-94 season (1999 & 2000). won the Stanley Cup in 1999, with scoring the clinching in the third overtime of Game 6 to lift the Stars past the Sabres.

* Roman Lyashenko had the winning goal at 5:31 of the second period in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Final to power Dallas to its most-recent appearance in the championship round. Mike Keane (Game 7 of 1999 CF), Bobby Smith (Game 5 of 1991 CF) and Brad Palmer (Game 6 of 1981 SF) account for the franchise’s three other series-clinching goals in the Conference Finals/Semifinals.

* Vegas aims to become the second team to win a Conference Finals after facing a 3-1 series deficit. The only club to do so since the conference format was adopted ahead of the 1981-82 season was the Devils, who accomplished the feat against the Flyers in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final.

* Peter DeBoer of the Golden Knights is 11-5 in 16 career games as an NHL when facing elimination (.688 W%). Only six head coaches in League history own a higher career win percentage in potential elimination games.