With 18 games left, can the Islanders still earn a playoff spot?
Anders Lee of the New York Islanders against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Credit: Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — OK, so let’s run with this borderline-plausible storyline that the Islanders still have a shot to sneak into the playoffs with a stupendous finish over their final 18 games.
Never mind that a 1-2-0 California swing left them five points behind the Blue Jackets for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot with the Canadiens, Rangers and Bruins between the teams. It’s all eyes on Friday night’s game against the Oilers at UBS Arena, the start of a stretch of six of their next seven on home ice.
“I think you’ve got to be encouraged,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said after the West Coast trip ended with a 4-1 loss to the Kings on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena — where the hosts are 21-3-4 — as the Islanders went 0-for-8 on the power play despite 16 man-advantage shots and apparent second-period power-play goals from Anthony Duclair and Anders Lee overturned on goalie interference challenges.
“We just put up a really strong effort against a really good team in a tough building to play in. It’s not the outcome [we wanted," said Pulock. "But we’ve got to take what we can from that and head home and be ready to get some wins at home.”
What needs to happen over the next six weeks to make the near-impossible a reality? Who do the Islanders absolutely have to beat? What needs to improve in their game?
First off, the Islanders’ playoff chances have narrowed because instead of two wild-card spots up for grabs they are likely battling the other teams for one spot. The Senators hold the first wild-card position and are eight points ahead of the Islanders. Making that ground up over 18 games is unlikely, to say the least.
The Islanders certainly need some stumbling from the other contenders, though the Rangers have helped lately with an 0-2-2 slide and the Bruins seemed to wave the white flag at the NHL trade deadline by dealing away captain Brad Marchand, Trent Frederic and Charlie Coyle.
The Islanders have two games remaining against the Blue Jackets — March 24 at UBS Arena and April 17 in Columbus, Ohio in the season finale — plus one game each against the Canadiens (next Thursday at UBS Arena) and the Rangers (April 10 at UBS Arena). Those are, unequivocally, must-wins.
Of note, the Islanders’ remaining schedule includes 12 matches against teams holding a playoff spot as of Wednesday.
To win these games, the Islanders are, somehow, going to need to find more production from their power play, which ranks last in the NHL at 12% (19-for-159). The effort against the Kings could be considered encouraging given the two overturned goals. But the Islanders also mustered just one shot on a third-period five-on-three that lasted 61 seconds.
“You look at the scoresheet and it’s 0-for-8 but I don’t think that really tells the whole story,” defenseman Noah Dobson said. “Two taken back, we had a lot of pucks to the net, a lot of chances. We’ve got to find a way to capitalize because it could be the difference for us.”
A slim path to the playoffs still remains. But fail on what’s been laid out here and not even the rosiest-colored glasses could see a way there.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
