As we enter the final week of the regular season, the New York Islanders are still alive for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Although they are alive, they are not breathing on their own. Their "tragic number" is four points. The “tragic number… is the number of points gained by the final wild card team or lost by the team chasing it. That number can be cut in half tonight as the Ottawa Senators head to Motown to face the Detroit Red Wings.
The Islanders had been chasing the Boston Bruins, who have been on a hot streak since defeating the Islanders in Brooklyn March 25. The Bruins now occupy second place in the Atlantic, bumping the Senators into the final wild card spot.
The Senators are not the only team the Islanders have to worry about as the Tampa Bay Lightning are two points ahead of them in ninth place. Both the Lightning and Isles have same amount of games left.
Senators' remaining schedule
tonight at Detroit Tuesday vs Detroit Thursday at Boston Saturday vs NY Rangers Sunday at NY Islanders
Lightning's remaining schedule
Tuesday at Boston Thursday at Toronto Friday at Montreal Sunday vs Buffalo
It's plain and simple for the Islanders, they need to win their next three games, starting in Nashville tomorrow night. The Predators, who clinched a playoff berth yesterday, are still fighting for playoff positioning. The Isles then head to Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes, who will likely be elimated by then, their "tragic number" is two.
If they are alive following those two games, Saturday becomes huge. The Senators host the New York Rangers. The Blueshirts would love to put the final nail in the Isles coffin. They haven't forgotten the final regular season day of last year as the Islanders rested many of their key players, including John Tavares, and lost to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Isles lost clinched the top wild card spot and a matchup with the Florida Panthers. The Rangers ended up in third place in the Metro and a matchup with the eventual Stanley Cup champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders would be rooting hard for a Rangers regulation win.
If the stars align, Sunday could be a play-in game as the Senators come to Brooklyn.
The Americans Anders Lee's two goals against the Buffalo Sabres yesterday gave him his first career 30-goal season. The Minnesota native is the fourth American-born Islander to register a 30-goal season.
Pat LaFontaine 6 times Mark Parrish Jason Blake
Mr. Jones Connor Jones made his NHL debut yesterday in Buffalo. The Quinnipiac University alum played 11:13, was on the ice for Cal Clutterbuck's goal and registered two shots.
Jones was recalled to strengthen the penalty kill, which is missing Tavares, Casey Cizikas and Nikolay Kulemin. Twitter was up in arms that Michael Dal Colle did not replace Tavares on the roster. Dal Colle is not a center, doesn't play on the penalty kill and clearly is not ready for the NHL.