The Islanders know they can’t slow down now.
And their confidence is at an all-time high after a blowout 5-1 loss to the Bruins on their home ice Saturday night.
“We want to keep building,” Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. “That’s not the end.”
That can’t happen.
The two teams the Islanders are chasing in the playoff race, the Flyers and Lightning, won on Saturday and maintain a five-point and six-point lead over the Islanders, respectively.
There’s a game left, but the Islanders have to win it. And we have to win a few more.
But for the first time in a while, it feels not only possible, but doable.
The win over Boston marked the Islanders’ third straight win since mid-December and may have been their best performance of the entire season.
It’s a common cliché in hockey that confidence snowballs with wins. That’s what’s happening now among the islanders.
“That’s the way it should be,” Pageau said. “I think everyone had fun the last couple. Winning is fun and it’s contagious. We work hard. Everybody wants to win and we want to push it forward. So everybody’s in.” ”
The Islanders made quick decisions with the puck. They did it perfectly. They forechecked, shut down chances and played fast hockey.
That’s what a confident team does. That’s what the Islanders must continue to do.
“That’s huge,” said Kyle Palmieri, who had a well-deserved hat trick in the first period. “We haven’t been playing our best at home lately. Especially in the closing stages here, when you get those chances you have to take advantage of them and feel good in your home arena no matter who you’re playing. I think we can be. Tonight was a good start towards that. Hopefully we can build on that.”
The islanders never stopped believing in themselves for a moment.
But beating the Bruins, and doing it with as much emphasis as Saturday, is a good way to turn people who aren’t paid by the organization into believers.
For them, it’s more of a confirmation.
“I don’t think the level of belief has changed,” says Anders Lee. “I think we’re probably starting to have a little bit more confidence. We’re starting to feel that momentum. We’re happy with the results we got. It feels good and it lifts the energy here. …Building on that. And keep rolling.”
Matt Martin left the game at 4:55 of the third period with an unknown injury and did not return.
