Islanders Quietly Close Their Door to the Stanley Cup Finals

Seeking their first trip to the championship round since 1984, the Isles took just 18 shots on goal in a loss to Tampa Bay, the Cup’s current owners.

The years drift by, the players, coaches and owners come and go, and the Islanders’ long wait for another appearance in the Stanley Cup finals continues. On Friday night, the Islanders were one win away from reaching hockey’s grandest stage for the first time since 1984, one goal from prolonging their season with a chance to win their first title since they claimed four consecutive N.H.L. championships from 1980 to ’83. But the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning, playing at home in front of a raucous crowd, were too much to overcome.