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Last year, the Islanders clinched a playoff spot with a win over the Canadiens in the final game of the regular season. This season, the Islanders have a chance to do it a little earlier — in game 81 instead of game 82.
With a win over the Devils on Monday night at Prudential Center, the Islanders will not only clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons, but they will also wrap up third place in the Metropolitan Division.
Considering the ups and downs of the season, it’s an opportunity that the Islanders are excited for.
“We could have had a different outcome maybe if a couple of games went a different way,” Islanders forward Brock Nelson told GLI. “It’s back in our control which has been our main focus and our talking point for a little bit here.”
Things looked a bit bleak for the Islanders’ playoff chances just a couple of weeks ago, but a six-game winning streak brought the Isles back to life. Although that streak ended with Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the point gave the Islanders 90 for the season and put them in a position to take care of their own business Monday night at The Rock.
“We’ve come a long way and battled and now it’s as tangible as ever,” said Islanders forward and Smithtown-born Kyle Palmieri. “We put ourselves in this position and have a chance to control our own destiny and we’re excited for that.”
The Islanders would certainly love to have had some of those 16 overtime/shootout losses end with a better result which would have meant already clinching and maybe even reaching 100 points. But, the goal at the start of every season is to be in the playoffs and the Islanders are on the verge of getting that “x” next to their name in the standings.
“If you would have told us seven months ago that (a win and in scenario) would be the case, we would have taken it,” said Islanders forward Mat Barzal. “It’s nice to know that we have it in our own hands. You’re going to see our best on Monday.”
While the Islanders know that they control their own destiny and a win Monday night puts them in the playoffs, there’s one very important voice in that locker room that doesn’t want to see the Islanders deviate from the mindset that has turned their season around.
The Islanders have been subscribing to a one-game-at-a-time approach and Monday’s game just happens to be the next one.
“I want to think about playing a hockey game (Monday)…period,” said Isles head coach Patrick Roy. “From the get-go, our objective was trying to finish third in our division so we still have to win one more game if we want to see that happening.”
With a chance to see their team wrap up a playoff spot, you can be sure that plenty of Islanders fans will be invading enemy territory on Monday night to try and make the Prudential Center sound like Islanders Country.
The objective is to get off to a good start.
“Go all out,” said Islanders forward JG Pageau. “It’s something we’ve worked on all year and we finally have the chance to do it. Go out with urgency to do it and go out together as a team and that’s how we’ve been having our success.”
There are other ways that the Islanders can make the playoffs. They do have their final regular-season game on Wednesday against the Penguins at UBS Arena and they could also scoreboard watch hoping that the Red Wings, Capitals, and Penguins stub their toes on Monday night.
But, with destiny in their own hands, the Islanders have a golden opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on Monday night.
That’s something that didn’t seem possible at times during the season.
Top: New York Islanders’ Mathew Barzal (13) celebrates with teammate Bo Horvat (14) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
