front and stopping Josh Bailey on a follow-up.He also made

TAMPA http://www.bluejacketsshoponline.com/authentic-sergei-bobrovsky-jersey , Fla. (AP) The highest-scoring team in the NHL is playing a stingy brand of defense in the playoffs.Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay Lightning know ultimately that will be the key to the chances for a deep run for the third time in four years.The top seed in the Eastern Conference won its opening round series 4-1 over the New Jersey Devils, with Vasilevskiy stopping 53 of 55 shots over the last two games.”We did a good job. They’re a good team, but we were better a little bit,” the 23-year-old goaltender said after Saturday’s 3-1 clinching victory.”The guys played well,” Vasilevskiy said. ”When your team is playing well, I’m feeling much better, more confidence. … ”Now it’s in the past and we have to move on and think about the second round.”Nikita Kucherov scored goals in four of the five games, including three game-winners.With five goals and five assists, he set a franchise record for points in a playoff series and also tied Vincent Lecavalier for second place on the Tampa Bay’s postseason scoring list with 52 points in 50 games.But as well as the league’s third-leading scorer and the rest of the offense performed over the course of the series, the defense was just as good after struggling at times over the last two months of the season.The Devils scored seven goals in the four games they lost. Before yielding one goal in each of the final two games, Vasilevskiy had never allowed one or fewer goals in a playoff start.”He’s been unbelievable. He’s so young, but it seems like he’s been in the league for 20 years,” Kucherov said. ”When he makes the saves Womens Seth Jones Jersey , it gives energy to our group and the bench, everyone is fired up.”In his first season as a No. 1 goalie, the finalist for the Vezina Trophy tied for first in the NHL in victories (44) and shutouts (eight) and finished with a 2.62 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.Those numbers might have been even better if the Lightning had played better defense in front of him over the last half of the season.”He was on it from Game 1,” coach Jon Cooper said of the young goaltender’s performance against the Devils.”He just came up huge in every big situation. … The timely saves were phenomenal for us,” Cooper added. ”He just played with confidence.”And, that gives the Lightning reason to feel good heading into the Eastern Conference semifinals against the winner of the first-round matchup between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.”We don’t care who’s going to be there. There’s no easy teams in the playoffs,” Kucherov said. ”We have to make sure we play the same way and we play our way.”Cooper appreciates being able to close out the Devils early, avoiding a return trip to Newark, New Jersey, for Game 6.”Ultimately, you just don’t want to get on the plane, again. It’s not that there’s still series left, but it’s the wear and tear on the body and mind Sonny Milano Jersey ,” Cooper said. ”I’m not one of those, let the series go seven and just keep playing. We’ll take the rest, take a step back and prepare.”— UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — The Lightning and their high-flying offense hadn’t been shut out all season. The Islanders blanked them for 65 minutes, but it still wasn’t enough.Victor Hedman scored the only goal in shootout Friday night to lift Tampa Bay past New York 1-0 after both goaltenders put on a spectacular display in regulation and overtime.Hedman beat Thomas Greiss on the first attempt for the league-best Lightning.The Islanders had a power play at 3:23 of overtime when Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov was called for cross-checking but couldn’t convert.Greiss and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy put on a save-for-save clinic before the shootout. Greiss made 41 saves while Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots. Vasilevskiy turned away three more during the shootout.“Both goaltenders were outstanding,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “It was a well-played hockey game.”The Islanders, who lead the Metropolitan Division, came in having won of 15 of their last 19 games, including five of six heading into the All-Star break and their subsequent bye week. They hadn’t played since losing at Chicago in a shootout on Jan. 22.“There was a little bit of a playoff-feel type of game with the number one team in the league coming to your building,” Islanders captain Anders Lee said.The Lightning were coming off their first game back, a 4-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Wednesday. And when they last played the Islanders, Tampa Bay was smothered 5-1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Jan. 13.“We knew what happened last time we played them. We were expecting a better effort and we definitely got it,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “And a 0-0 game is a pretty exciting one.”Tampa Bay outshot the Islanders 14-11 in the first period with Greiss made a number of strong saves http://www.bluejacketsshoponline.com/authentic-zach-werenski-jersey , denying Lightning captain Steven Stamkos from in close on the power play and stopping Yanni Gourde from the doorstep.Greiss also was in goal for the Islanders when the Islanders won in Brooklyn on Jan. 13.“I think we played two great games against them,” Greiss said. “It is a confidence boost for us.”In the second period, the Islanders had two power-play chances but couldn’t convert.The chippy contest continued with the goaltenders on top of their games as each team registered 10 shots in the middle stanza.Vasilevskiy made a spectacular save on Valtteri Filppula midway through the second period, sprawling to his left to deny the Finnish forward.“I thought we played really good defensively,” said the 24-year-old netminder. “Both goalies played well.”In the third, the Lightning came out flying with 10 shots on Greiss in the first five minutes.Greiss denied Brayden Point with a left pad save off a tic-tac-toe setup from linemates Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov.He made stops on Mathieu Joseph and Ryan McDonagh to keep the game scoreless.Vasilevskiy was equally stellar, robbing Mathew Barzal from in front and stopping Josh Bailey on a follow-up.He also made a sharp glove save on Islanders captain Anders Lee with 2:11 left in regulation.The Lightning had a 40-32 shots advantage heading into overtime.Trotz was asked if the riveting scoreless draw made him miss ties.“A little bit because we’re a team sport and we preach team in everything we do. With a penalty shot, you sort of lose the effect of a game,” Trotz said. “But from the fans’ standpoint, they want to see an end result. And part of what’s theirs is the shootout.”NOTES: The Islanders scratched Fs Tom Kuhnhackl and Ross Johnston plus D Luca Sbisa and continued to be without injured F Andrew Ladd and D Thomas Hickey. … Tampa Bay scratched Fs Ryan Callahan and Danick Martel and D Anton Stralman. … The Islanders were 8-2-1 in January and have a winning record each month this season.UP NEXTIslanders: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.Lightning: Visit the New York Rangers on Saturday night.