Marc-Andre Fleury was the first goaltender off the ice following the morning skate.

Advice: That suggests that Fleury will be back in net Tuesday night. If that's the case it's an interesting decision given that goaltender Robin Lehner was a key part of the Golden Knights' victory in Game 4. That said, Fleury has a 1.97 GAA and .921 save percentage in 15 starts, so now that he's well rest it does make some sense for Vegas to go back to him. NBCSportsEDGE.com Today, 10:38 am

Erik Cernak's (upper body) status will be updated after Wednesday's morning skate, according to Lightning coach Jon Cooper.

Advice: Cernak took part in the pregame warmups for Game 5, but didn't end up participating in the contest. He has eight assists in 15 playoff games this year. NBCSportsEDGE.com Today, 9:28 am

Blake Coleman recorded an assist in an 8-0 win against the Islanders Monday night.

Advice: Coleman has contributed a point in three of his last four games. That brings him up to a goal and seven points in 16 postseason contests this year. NBCSportsEDGE.com Today, 7:55 am

Pat Maroon registered an assist in Tampa Bay's 8-0 win against the Islanders on Monday.

Advice: That was Maroon's first point of the semifinals. He has a goal and three points in 16 postseason contests. NBCSportsEDGE.com Today, 7:45 am

Adam Erne can become a restricted free agent this offseason.

Advice: Erne completed a one-year, $997,500 contract and he earned a raise after scoring 11 goals and 20 points in 45 contests in 2020-21. Given that he's eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022, it wouldn't be surprising if the Red Wings seek to sign him to a multi-year deal. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, who drafted Erne in 2013 back when Yzerman was with the Lightning, thinks highly of the forward. “I think we got a real good player who is a little bit of a different dimension for us,” Yzerman said. “He’s a big, thick kid who’s got pretty good hands and can play a lot of different situations. I think there’s a lot more there. But I really like Adam’s determination and his drive. He’s really driven, he wants to be a good player in the NHL, he puts the time in, the work in. It was good to see he earned a bigger role on the team and thrived in it.” NBCSportsEDGE.com Today, 7:04 am

Jan Rutta was injured in Monday's Game 5 matchup against the New York Islanders at the end of the second period and did not return.

Advice: Mathew Barzal was assessed five-minute major for cross-checking and a game misconduct on the play. Rutta didn't play in the third period of the match. Coach Jon Cooper didn't have an update on Rutta's status following the contest. Consider the Lightning defender day-to-day for now.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 8:18 pm

Nikita Kucherov had three assists Monday to extend his points streak to eight games.

Advice: Kucherov leads the NHL playoff scoring race with 27 points including 22 helpers. The Lightning star missed the entire regular season after undergoing off-season hip surgery. He is truly a marvel. NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 8:13 pm

Alex Killorn scored a pair of goals and added an assist in the Lightning's 8-0 shellacking over the Islanders in Game 5.

Advice: The two-goal effort gives Killorn eight in the post-season to go with eight assists as he picked up a helper on Steven Stamkos' opening goal of the game. It has been a great playoff for Killorn who is tied for fourth in NHL scoring with teammate Victor Hedman. NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 8:06 pm

Erik Cernak (upper body) won't play in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals on Monday against the New York Islanders. 

Advice: Cernak was on the ice for the pregame warmups and it appeared as though he was fine to play, but that won't be the case and Luke Schenn will replace him on Tampa Bay's defense corps. Coach Jon Cooper thought that Cernak would be available to play earlier today despite being banged up in Games 3 and 4. However, he was ruled out after warmups. Consider him day-to-day for now with what the team is calling an upper-body injury.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 5:03 pm

Andrei Vasilevskiy will be in goal for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the New York Islanders. 

Advice: Vasilevskiy stopped 27 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Islanders on Saturday in his last outing. He has been excellent following a loss in the playoffs and will look to bounce back again on Monday. Vasilevskiy has a 10-5 record this postseason with a 2.19 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 4:39 pm

Semyon Varlamov was the first goaltender off the ice at practice Monday.

Advice: That should mean that Varlamov will get the start in goal for the Islanders Monday as they try and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Semifinals. Varlamov is 6-5 with a 2.53 GAA and  a .923 save percentage in the playoffs after winning Saturday 3-2 over Tampa Bay. NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 8:47 am

Coach Jon Cooper said that Erik Cernak should be 'good to go' Monday night.

Advice: Cernak was on the ice Monday morning for an optional practice. He was hurt once again in Game 4 Saturday but this is the Stanley Cup playoffs, so look for Cernak to be in the Tampa Bay lineup for Game 5 when they take on the New York Islanders.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Yesterday, 7:41 am

Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist Saturday to increase his points streak to seven games.

Advice: Kucherov, who did not play at all in the regular season as he was recovering from off-season hip surgery, has five goals and 24 points in 15 games to lead the playoffs in scoring. Kucherov is a star and should be selected high in the first round in re-draft leagues next season. NBCSportsEDGE.com Sunday, 5:24 am

Mathew Barzal scored a goal in a 3-2 victory against Tampa Bay in Game 4.

Advice: Barzal struggled early in the Islanders' playoff run, but he's scored three goals already in the semifinals. He's up to six goals and 12 points in 16 postseason contests this year. With this win, the Islanders have tied the series at 2-2. NBCSportsEDGE.com Saturday, 8:12 pm

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 of 30 shots in a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders in Game 4 on Saturday.

Advice: Vasilevskiy ended his run of four straight starts where he allowed two or fewer goals. All of the damage in this contest came in the second period where he allowed three goals on a staggering 17 shots. This defeat tied the series at 2-2. NBCSportsEDGE.com Saturday, 8:04 pm

Erik Cernak will be in the lineup for Game 4 on Saturday.

Advice: Cernak suffered a stinger during the third period of Thursday's contest, but he was still projected to play Saturday night. Based on the pregame warmups, he should be paired with Ryan McDonagh. NBCSportsEDGE.com Saturday, 4:45 pm

Semyon Varlamov will play between the pipes in Game 4 on Saturday.

Advice: Varlamov led the Islanders out for the pregame warmups. He's 5-5 with a 2.58 GAA and .923 save percentage in 10 postseason games this year. NBCSportsEDGE.com Saturday, 4:41 pm

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24 shots in Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. 

Advice: The Golden Knights were two minutes away from taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against the Canadiens, but a critical mistake by Fleury led to Montreal tying the game. He misplayed the puck behind the net and it ended up going in front of the net for a gift goal by Josh Anderson. Anderson scored again in overtime to give Vegas a second straight loss. It wouldn't be a surprise if Fleury got a chance to rebound in Game 4 on Sunday.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Friday, 8:52 pm

Erik Cernak contributed an assist in a 2-1 win against the Islanders in Game 3 on Thursday.

Advice: Cernak is up to seven assists in 14 postseason games this year. That's a big step up from the 2020 playoffs where he finished with four helpers in 25 contests. NBCSportsEDGE.com Friday, 7:06 am

Semyon Varlamov stopped 23-of-25 shots in the Islanders' 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay.

Advice: Varlamov was strong once again in the Islanders net as he was not to blame for either goal. Varlamov is 5-5 with a 2.58 GAA and a .923 save percentage. Look for the Islanders to go back to Varlamov in Game 4 Saturday night. NBCSportsEDGE.com Thursday, 8:02 pm

Andrei Vasilevskiy was outstanding, stopping 27-of-28 shots to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-1 win over the Islanders.

Advice: The win gives the Lightning a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and Vasilevskiy was spectacular as usual, outdueling Semyon Varlamov who was almost as good. Vasilevskiy is 10-4 and leads all netminders in wins in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He has a 2.13 GAA and a .935 save percentage. He was named the NHL's top goaltender by the NHLPA on Thursday and was full value for the honor in Game 3. NBCSportsEDGE.com Thursday, 7:43 pm

Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the nod in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the New York Islanders. 

Advice: Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots in a 4-2 win over the Islanders on Tuesday. He has a record of 9-4 this postseason with a 2.21 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Thursday, 4:37 pm

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 20 shots in a 3-2 loss to Montreal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals on Wednesday. 

Advice: Fleury closed the door on some early chances by the Canadiens in Game 1 of the series on Monday and allowed his teammates to build up a lead. That didn't happen on Wednesday, as Montreal scored two goals on 12 shots in the first period. Paul Byron avoided Fleury's poke check attempt late in the second period to give the Canadiens a 3-0 lead and that held up as the game winner following a late comeback try by the Golden Knights. The defeat ends Fleury's five-game win streak and he will look to rebound on the road in Game 3 on Friday. The best-of-seven series is tied at 1-1.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Wednesday, 9:28 pm

Blake Coleman halted his five-game pointless skid on Tuesday in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the New York Islanders.

Advice: Coleman picked up an assist on a goal by Jan Rutta, which held up as the game winner, in the third period of a 4-2 victory. He was also credited with five hits in the match. Coleman has one goal, which was scored in the postseason opener, and five points in 13 playoff contests this year.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Wednesday, 10:02 am

Ondrej Palat scored his third of the playoffs Tuesday.

Advice: The goal was not without controversy as the Lightning had seven men on the ice, something that was not detected by the officials. Palat has six points in 13 games in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs to date after a 15 goal, 46 point regular season in 55 contests. NBCSportsEDGE.com Wednesday, 6:01 am

Semyon Varlamov was pulled from Tuesday's game by a spotter after a collision with Brayden Point.

Advice: Point barreled into Varlamov after he was cross-checked by Adam Pelech and had no time to avoid the Islanders netminder. A spotter determined that Varlamov may have suffered a head injury and took him out of the game but upon review by doctor's, Varlamov was allowed to return and finish the contest. NBCSportsEDGE.com Wednesday, 5:20 am

Nikita Kucherov registered three assists in a 4-2 victory over the Islanders in Game 2 Tuesday night.

Advice: Kucherov extended his point streak to five contests. He's up to five goals and 22 points in 13 playoff games this year. He's running away with the postseason scoring race, especially given that Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Boston's David Pastrnak have been eliminated from the playoffs. Thanks in part to Kucherov's efforts on Tuesday, the series has been evened. Game 3 will be played Thursday night. NBCSportsEDGE.com Tuesday, 8:00 pm

Semyon Varlamov stopped 23 of 27 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Advice: Varlamov stopped 10 of 11 shots in the first period before he was in a collision with Brayden Point and pulled from the game. Ilya Sorokin stepped in for the final 6:50 minutes of the frame and saved the six shots he faced. Varlamov came back for the start of the second and played the rest of the way. Overall, it was a rough start for Varlamov and given that Islanders coach Barry Trotz hasn't been afraid to switch up his goaltending in the 2021 playoffs, it will be interesting to see who starts in Game 3. NBCSportsEDGE.com Tuesday, 7:50 pm

Andrei Vasilevskiy will play between the pipes in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Advice: Vasilevskiy led the Lightning to the ice for the pregame warmups. He has an 8-4 record, 2.23 GAA, and .934 save percentage in 12 starts this year. NBCSportsEDGE.com Tuesday, 4:34 pm

Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 28 of 29 shots in a 4-1 victory against Montreal in Game 1.

Advice: It was yet another amazing performance from Fleury in the 2021 playoffs. The only goal he allowed in this contest was scored during a Canadiens power play. He improved to 9-4 with a 1.84 GAA and .927 save percentage in 13 playoff starts this year. NBCSportsEDGE.com Monday, 9:02 pm

Nikita Kucherov earned an assist in a 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. 

Advice: Kucherov posted a helper on Brayden Point's power-play goal in the final minute of the third period. He has two goals and five helpers over a four-game point streak. Kucherov currently ranks first in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 14 assists and 19 points in 12 appearances.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Jun 13, 4:21 pm

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 29 of 31 shots in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. 

Advice: Vasilevskiy was superb in the first period when he turned aside all 14 shots he faced. The Islanders were able to score just past the midway mark of the second stanza after Mathew Barzal took advantage of a partial breakaway. Vasilevskiy was beat by a point shot from Ryan Pulock early in the third period on a goal that he would probably want back. That ended up being the game winner after Brayden Point scored in the final minute of regulation time. Vasilevskiy will look to rebound in Game 2 on Tuesday night.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Jun 13, 3:05 pm

Brayden Point scored a goal in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. 

Advice: Point's league-leading ninth goal of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs came in the final minute of the third period during a Tampa Bay power play. However, it was too little too late for the Lightning, as the Islanders took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov earned assists on Tampa Bay's lone goal of the match. Point has four markers and two assists during a four-game point streak. The Lightning will look to bounce back in Game 2 at home on Tuesday.  NBCSportsEDGE.com Jun 13, 2:41 pm

Marc-Andre Fleury will be up against his hometown team in the semifinals.

Advice: Fleury did face Montreal before in the playoffs and he struggled with a .892 save percentage in that series, but that was back in 2010, so he's a much different, far more experienced goaltender now. “A young goaltender just getting into the league or early in his career, for sure, that situation can be overwhelming,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “You’ve got an experienced guy that’s got multiple Stanley Cups. He’s been in these situations before. For me, that’s not a concern. He’s more than prepared to deal with all that.” For his part, Fleury is looking forward to it. He noted that he won't be able to visit family or friends during this trip to Montreal, but he expects the series against Montreal to be an intense and fun one. He's going into this series with a 1.91 GAA and .923 save percentage in 12 starts this year. NBCSportsEDGE.com Jun 12, 9:28 pm

Nikita Kucherov did not enjoy his rehabbing from hip surgery.

Advice: Kucherov, who is attempting to go back-to-back as the playoff scoring leader as he had 34 points last season and leads the NHL with 18 points after the first two rounds, did not play at all in the regular season after undergoing hip surgery on December 29. "I had to go to the gym every day, and I hated it," Kucherov said. "I do the same stuff every day. It's really annoying. You get down on yourself sometimes. You want to go out there and play. Instead, you're going to the gym and doing this rehab stuff. It was tough. I got home from the game, guys are feeling good and I've got, tomorrow's the same thing. I don't get excited. I was trying to find a way to stay positive. Being with my family a little bit, seeing my son grow, that helped me a lot too to get away from the game a little bit and from thinking too much of it. It wasn't easy. But I think I got a lot stronger mentally and I understand what it takes to go through it." Whatever he needed to do, Kucherov is back to being 100 percent and capable of leading the Lightning to another Stanley Cup. NBCSportsEDGE.com Jun 12, 5:44 am