Lightning clinch berth in NHL playoffs with win over Islanders
TAMPA — It’s always expected around here, but now it’s official. With a 5-0 victory over the Islanders Saturday night at Amalie Arena, the Lightning clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs for a sixth straight season. Tampa Bay clinched its ninth trip to the postseason in its last 10 seasons and 15th overall. In what was expected to be a battle of two of the NHL’s best goaltenders, the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy clearly came out on top. Vasilevskiy, who allowed just three goals over his past three starts, stopped all 38 shots he faced to post his fourth…