BUFFALO — It’s still too early to start thinking seriously about the Battle of New York returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but it’s still a possibility.
After the Islanders rocketed back into playoff contention over the past two weeks, there are two ways they could face the Rangers in the first round.
The first is if the Hurricanes overtake the Flyers and the Rangers to become number one in the metropolitan area.
Second, if the Rangers win the division, the Islanders will finish in the wild-card spot that corresponds to the Metropolitan Division spot. The Panthers currently have a two-point lead over the Rangers, so this will likely be the first wild card spot. Top seeds across the East.
Carolina narrowed the gap slightly with the Rangers in the division. But on Tuesday night, the Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 1-0 in Raleigh and are now six points behind.
Meanwhile, the Islanders are tied for second place in the wild card with Detroit, who lost 7-3 to the Sabres, but they are behind in regulation wins.
Tampa Bay is in first place in the wild card spot, two points behind the Islanders.
The Isles are in third place in the division, trailing Philadelphia by four points.
But the Islanders have a matchup against both the Flyers and Lightning on their hands.
Of course, before the Islanders can start thinking about potential opponents, they need to actually secure a playoff spot, but despite their recent run of form, that’s not guaranteed. .
“There’s still a lot of hockey left,” captain Anders Lee said after the Kings snapped the Isles’ winning streak in six with a 3-0 win in Los Angeles on Monday. “All we can do is react. After a loss, the most important thing is the next game. Let’s take a few days off, get back here on the East Coast and get ready. [Buffalo]”
Still, the thought of these rivals meeting in the playoffs for the first time in 30 years is thrilling for any area hockey fan, especially in the first game between the two, where the Rangers trailed 6-5 in overtime. After the victory, a heated battle ensued. Electricity at MetLife Stadium.
That’s just a dream for now. But it’s not too far-fetched to think that it can’t become a reality.
Monday’s loss to the Kings marked the continuation of an ignominious losing streak. According to team statistician Eric Hornig, the Islanders have never won at Anaheim, San Jose or Los Angeles on the same road trip.
The Islanders did not practice Tuesday as they traveled from Los Angeles to Buffalo.
