The great philosopher Apollo Creed once said "there is no tomorrow" and that totally applies for the New York Islanders as they continue their push for the final playoff berth in the Eastern conference.
The first step in their push is to win tonight against the New Jersey Devils in Newark. The Devils have just two wins in their last ten games. The Islanders have owned the Devils. They are 11-1-1 in their last 13 games against the Devils, including a 7-1-1 in their last nine visits to the Prudential Center.
Further complicating things are the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won in Montreal last night. If the Isles win out and the Lightning defeat the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow, both will finish with 94 points. The Isles will make the playoffs if they win their last two (one ROW and one SO), the Leafs lose their last two (both in regulation), and the Lightning don't beat Buffalo in regulation/overtime. The Bolts do not come into the picture if the Isles will both in regulation/overtime and the Leafs do not get more than one point either tonight and tomorrow against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Nikolai Kulemin returns after being out of the lineup since March 24. He will replace Connor Jones. They now have 12 healthy forwards and one of them is being scratched so Thomas Hickey can play winger. Just don't get it.
Jaroslav Halak will start again for the Islanders. Halak has basically gotten the Isles to this point. He hasn't lost a start since being recalled from Bridgeport. I'm going to hold off my criticism of general manager Garth Snow until the season is over.
10 years ago today. #Isles pic.twitter.com/igl0DfbIXQ
— Greg Picker (@GregPickerHere) April 8, 2017