San Jose, California – It's easy to forget this time of year. The hockey season is still ongoing and I'm playing a hockey game.
And for the islanders, there are still playoff races.
They started on Thursday just below four points, albeit with five teams jumping.
Whatever their team looks like Saturday, when the islanders face sharks in the first game after the trade deadline, a three-game trip that begins in the Bay Area before visiting Anaheim and Los Angeles is essential to staying in the race.
Since returning from the four countries, the islanders have been extremely inconsistent, running a disastrous loss to the Rangers 3-3-0, preventing them from gaining momentum in the wild card race.
A 3-2 victory over Winnipeg, who has the league's best record on Tuesday, was a great sign, but that doesn't mean anything if the islanders can't take care of their business against the sharks and ducks that supply the bottom.
“I think our biggest problem is a bit more consistency,” Captain Anders Lee said Tuesday. “We've played some good hockey, but sometimes we don't get that result. But when we play good hockey and get results, it's a great combination. And I think we can show it as much as we can.”
With the islanders' trade deadlines planned in the air, the hopes among the players after defeating Winnipeg were that Lou Lamorielo had shown it was enough to once again stick with the group.
That didn't happen. Lamoriello handled Nelson in an avalanche late Thursday night, seeking a package found by Prospect Cal Richie and future first-round picks.
Palmieri's position is still in the air.
But taking a practical approach at trade deadlines and giving up the season is not the same.
Don't expect the islanders to throw towels in playoff races.
And it would be too far to count them in full after the islanders put together slow runs for the playoffs in 2023 and 2024.
The three California games have followed the same trends in each of the last two seasons, with the islanders defeating the sharks and ducks while losing to the Kings.
Islanders have not lost restrictions in shark tanks since October 20, 2018.
Two days ago, it was the last time I won a game in a building previously known as the Staples Center.
