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The Islanders continue their six-game homestand as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. New York has crept their way back into the race for the second wild card. They are tied with Buffalo and Tampa Bay with 47 points. The Isles have games in hand on all five teams ahead of them for the last playoff spot. New York has three games in hand on the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently hold the final spot.

The odds of making the playoffs a little more than a week ago were around five percent. According to sportsclubstats.com, their chances now sit at 23 percent. If they want to increase their chances they will have to improve on their record against the Metro where they are 4-6-3 and 9-12-3 in the East.

Points are at such a premium this time of season. The Islanders gave away a crucial point Sunday against the Flyers. John Tavares' turnover led to yet another overtime lost. You can criticize Tavares for the turnovers, Tavares took blame for it Sunday night, but he needs skilled players out there. Alan Quine playing the majority of overtime is not going to cut it.

This stretch of the homestand will not be easy. Following tonight game against the Blue jackets, they host the Montreal Canadiens Thursday and the Washington Capitals following the All-Star break.

Thomas Greiss will get the start tonight. Greiss was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week after posting back-to-back shutouts last week. I truly hope that general manager Garth Snow and the agent for Thomas Greiss have begun contract negotiations.

Andrew Ladd returns after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury. Anthony Beauvillier is out after blocking a shot off his foot Sunday night. Anders Lee is ill and a game-time decision. Seems like Ryan Strome gets a reprieve. Strome was benched for eight minutes against the Flyers.

“He had a chance to shoot there and he didn’t. That’s human error; you can live with that,” Weight said. “I was more upset with the track [defensively]. It’s a play you’ve got to make, get to the middle, protect that good ice. Stromie knows. He sat a couple shifts and went out for the power play, and we should’ve had one there.”

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers had a strong weekend sweeping all three games. Two reasons of their success was Josh Ho-Sang and Ryan Pulock. Ho-Sang bounced back nicely from being scratched Friday night by scoring two goals on his 21st birthday. The talent is clearly there, just keeping him on the straight and narrow is the key. Pulock, scored had a three-point night on Saturday is clearly a victim of the numbers game. His game is getting better defensively and the Islanders can clearly use his shot on the power play.

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