Islanders to Face Lightning in 2020 NHL Playoffs After Beating Flyers in Game 7

The New York Islanders are going to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1993.

New York defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 in Saturday's Game 7 of their second-round playoff series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Scott Mayfield, Andy Greene, Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier (empty net) scored for the victors in the Metropolitan Division showdown, helping ensure their side did not lose three straight after seizing a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

Goaltender Thomas Greiss played his role as well, stopping all 16 of the shots he faced while starting instead of Semyon Varlamov.

The Flyers could not generate enough offense and still haven't advanced past the second round since 2010.

Notable Player Stats

• Thomas Greiss, G, NYI: 16 saves
• Brock Nelson, C, NYI: one goal, two assists
• Andy Greene, D, NYI: one goal
• Scott Mayfield, D, NYI: one goal
• Josh Bailey, LW, NYI: two assists
• Carter Hart, G, PHI: 22 saves

Greiss Rewards Islanders' Trust

The goaltending wasn't exactly stellar in this series entering the decisive contest.

On Philadelphia's side, Carter Hart allowed three goals in four of the five games he played and four goals in the other one. It was a far cry from the first round when he tallied two shutouts, one game allowing one goal and one game allowing two goals against the Montreal Canadiens.

Who would start as Hart's counterpart was the biggest storyline going into Saturday's game.

Varlamov was anything but consistent in this series with one shutout and one game allowing a single goal but another allowing five, another allowing four and another allowing three in less than 16 minutes before he was pulled for Greiss.

Greiss was excellent in that Game 2 after entering in the first period and helped push it to overtime before finally allowing a goal. He also saved 36 of the 38 shots he faced in Game 4 and earned the Game 7 start.

An honest breakdown of Saturday's performance would highlight the fact that the pressure-packed moments of a Game 7 are usually more difficult than what Greiss was tasked with in this one. The Flyers had a mere nine shots on goal through the first two periods and struggled to keep possession against a strong New York side.

The Islanders won races to pucks in the neutral zone, blocked shots and made things as easy as possible for their goaltender for the majority of the game, but Greiss still had to perform under the spotlight in the closing stretch after Philadelphia emptied its net.

That is exactly what he did, and his team is moving on as a result.

Islanders Hint at Best Way to Win Next Round

Next up for the Islanders is a showdown with the mighty Tampa Bay Lightning with a spot in the Stanley Cup Final hanging in the balance.

While Greiss hinted at his potential at times in this series, the Lightning are going to find the back of the net. After all, they led the league in goals per game (3.47) with a nearly unstoppable attack featuring Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman, among others.

The only way to realistically win a best-of-seven series against that collective is preventing them from building sustained momentum with continuous chances. In turn, the best way to do that is maintaining possession near the opponent's blue line.

New York followed that exact formula right out of the gates in Saturday's win.

Mayfield scored the first goal as the Islanders controlled play in the opening period with the forecheck and attack. They cycled the puck around the offensive zone again before Derick Brassard found Greene, who flicked in a wrist shot to create some quick breathing room.

It was only a matter of time before they started to pull away from there as they continued dictating play and creating chances in the second period. Nelson all but put Philadelphia away with his goal, as New York's attack made life relatively easy for Greiss for extended stretches.

It will have to do the same to have a chance against the Lightning.

What's Next?

The Islanders will play the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final, while the Flyers will look toward an important offseason as they attempt to add the pieces that can help them take another step in the playoffs.