Leddy, Boychuk buoying Isles

6:09 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. – Nick Leddy hoisted a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013. Johnny Boychuk has his named etched onto the Cup with the Boston Bruins from 2011.

Now they’re trying to accomplish hockey’s ultimate goal as teammates for the New York Islanders.

As an organization, this is the first time since 1993 the Islanders have reached the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and they own a 1-0 series lead against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game 2 will be at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday at Amalie Arena.

The presence of Leddy, 25, and Boychuk, 32, on and off the ice, has been an intangible for the Islanders. Having a player with a strong voice in the room is especially important during the postseason.

“It makes a big difference,” said 25-year-old Isles captain John Tavares. “You lean on those guys for a lot of things. There are momentum swings shift to shift, period to period, and obviously game to game. There are ebbs and flows, and you’ve got to handle your emotions the right way. The consistency in their game, their skill sets are different, but they’re huge parts of our team and what they bring on the ice. In the locker room they are crucial leaders for us.”

Islanders coach Jack Capuano believes players like Boychuk and Leddy are an extension of the coaching staff.

Nick Leddy, 2, and Johnny Boychuk, 55, have 161 combined playoff games between them, more than the rest of the Islanders’ defenseman put together. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

“Any great team, when …

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