from Chris Johnston of Sportsnet,

Tampa has had slightly more shot attempts (176-164) while the Islanders have enjoyed better quality looks (8.95-6.99 expected goals), according to naturalstattrick.com, but even that gap narrows when you factor in special teams play.

The tight nature of the series raises the stakes on Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Monday night because the winner will be guaranteed two cracks at booking a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. That leaves a small safety net for something to go against you — be it a bounce, referee’s call or a goaltender’s performance.

“It’s a crucial game, there’s no denying that,” said Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.

As battle-tested as his team is, they’re also shouldering more of the pressure in this situation. Not only is Tampa favoured in the series, but it’s also had some inconsistent stretches like the second period of Game 4, when the Islanders scored three times.

“We were tight or comfortable, I don’t know what it was,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “I know we can take another step in our game. At this point the players know each other, we’ve played each other enough, we’ve played enough hockey, but our execution can be better and I know we can take another step as a team.”

That’s become a hallmark of theirs while winning six straight playoff series over the last two years. They haven’t lost consecutive games during that stretch — immediately following 10 losses with a win.

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