UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Video coach Nigel Kirwan has a side project going that, when done, will show the Lightning playing its system at its best.
Kirwan said the video, commissioned by coach John Tortorella, has no title but will be used as a teaching aid for Tampa Bay players. And after Monday's 3-0 victory over the Islanders in Game 3 of the East quarterfinals, it has another entry.
So fierce was Tampa Bay's forecheck in the third period, and so good was its disruption of New York's offense through the neutral zone, Lightning players said it should be a blueprint for the rest of the best-of-seven series that continues tonight at Nassau Coliseum with Tampa Bay leading two games to one.
"It's something that kind of goes unnoticed," defenseman Dan Boyle said of neutral-zone play. "Nobody talks about it but it's a huge part of our team. You can see what happens when we get it going."
"It's huge. It really is," left wing Fredrik Modin said. "If you're able to keep your opponent away from making plays in the neutral zone, it's going to be tough for them to get into our end."
Simply put, the Lightning wants all its skaters between the blue lines when the opposition carries the puck out of its end. The idea is to clog the passing lanes and limit room to skate and make plays.
Even if room is found, if an opponent is conditioned to believe time and space will be limited, he might rush, make a mistake and turn the puck over to the Lightning's rapid transition.
It hasn't always worked that way against New York.
The Lightning frequently gave up way too much ice to the quick-to-pounce Islanders, who only need a sliver of daylight to make plays. Even when challenged, New York has done a good job finding paths into Tampa Bay's zone.
All that changed during Monday's third period, in which the Islanders were held to five shots that generally came from the outside as the Lightning did an equally good job clogging the slot.
Kirwan said the effort will go on the video with a Nov. 28 tie with the Blues, a Dec. 7 victory over the Rangers and a Jan. 3 victory over the Flyers.
Tortorella disagreed it was simply a matter of better execution.
"I just thought we played with a little bit more desperation," he said. "I don't think enough. But as each game has gone by in this series I think we've played better, not only in our team concept but with our desperation. We still have to get it to another level."
Islanders center Alexei Yashin, who has no points and seven shots, could not find fault with whatever level the Lightning was playing.
"They're a very good team," he said. "They wouldn't be on top (of the East) without good play in the neutral zone. We weren't able to get much going. We need to come up with more speed and get better dump-ins and get their defensemen moving back."
It was the Islanders who backed up into their zone Monday because of missed and disrupted passes between the blue lines. That was when the cheers from the animated home crowd turned to boos.
"They did a good job of getting their "D' back and holding us up," New York right wing Mark Parrish said. "We didn't do a good job of getting pucks to where we could get them, and when we did, they did a good job of clearing them out."
"It's about not playing safe," Lightning associate coach Craig Ramsay said. "If you back up, they come right through. Our whole premise is not to be safe and not to be careful and try to get everybody into more aggressive thinking."
Not just for one period but an entire game.
"It's very similar to when the offense is working," Modin said. "It's the same feeling as when you get a good offensive shift. You're boosting yourself up. You're feeling good about yourself."
