The Islanders close out the regular season tonight in Brooklyn with a matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers. This is the makeup date for the game that was snowed out over the winter. The only thing the outcome will determine tonight is the Isles opponent in the playoffs.
If the Islanders lose they will take on the Florida Panthers and if the Isles win they will square off with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
New York rested many banged up players last night as Bridgeport regulars Bracken Kearns and Alan Quine both played significant minutes and Quine scored his first career NHL goal. Also find the back of the net was Scotty Mayfield. This too was his first NHL goal as Mayfield, Quine and Kearns all played well.
The Isles called up Ross Johnston on emergency basis and will provide another Islander regular a night off. In thirty-seven games with the Sound Tigers, Johnston has one goal, three assists and sixty-four penalty minutes. Ross is known more for his fighting ability and you may see a fourth line featuring Johnston and Eric Boulton tonight.
Regardless of the outcome tonight the Isles matchup in the playoffs will be a difficult one. While the Atlantic Division in theory is a more desirable route, the Panthers are no slouches. That would be a tough matchup for an Islander team that doesn’t handle size well.
If they play the Penguins, New York will be taking on the leagues’ hottest team. However, Pittsburgh has goalie issues as Marc-Andre Fleury is still concussed and they also lost rookie phenom Matt Murray to injury as well.
There is no easy path to the Stanley Cup. I would rather focus on the Islanders themselves. This team is battling injures but have done well surviving them. The Isles have also responded strong as a team after being called out by Head Coach Jack Capuano. Despite some peaks and valleys New York is 7-2-1 in their last ten games and is ending the season in strong form.