The New York Islanders kept their winning streak alive on Thursday night, defeating the Montréal Canadiens in overtime 3-2, and can now clinch a playoff spot on Saturday.
The New York Islanders kept their winning streak alive on Thursday night, defeating the Montréal Canadiens in overtime 3-2.
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Earning that second point brought them up to 89 points to remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division.
With the Washington Capitals falling to the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 and the Pittsburgh Penguins beating the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 in overtime, the Islanders went to bed on Thursday with a three-point lead on Pittsburgh and a four-point lead on Washington and Detroit.
Because of the Islanders’ winning and out-of-town scoreboard, they have a chance to clinch a playoff spot on Saturday when they battle the New York Rangers at 12:30 PM.
Per Islanders statistician Eric Hornick, here’s what has to happen.
If the Islanders want to clinch the third seed, they need to beat the Rangers, the Boston Bruins need to beat the Penguins in regulation, and the Washington Capitals have to lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning in any fashion.
The Islanders can clinch a playoff spot in two different ways.
If they beat the Rangers, they need two of the following to happen: the Penguins losing in regulation, the Capitals losing, or the Red Wings falling.
The Islanders can also clinch a playoff spot if they lose in overtime or a shootout, and Washington and Detroit both lose in regulation.
Three games to go...