Ahead of the New York Islanders Saturday night clash with the Philadelphia Flyers, here are Stan Fischler's keys to the game.
It's easy to label Saturday night's game with the Philadelphia Flyers at UBS Arena the most important game of the season for the New York Islanders -- without fear of contradiction.
That's because it is -- in italics to underline the point.
Beating old pal John Tortorella's team is a must because the road to a wild-card berth must remain smooth before reaching Washington and then Elmont where the season's final match will be played against Montreal.
But let's not ahead of ourselves; what matters is the contest before us and coach Lane Lambert's quest to provide a reasonable facsimile of Thursday night demolition of the Lightning.
"We knew what was at stake," a goal-revived Bo Horvat explained post-game.
Both Bo and his mates know what's at stake tonight. But the Flyers are a completely different foe than the Bolts.
Completely!
And in some ways, more dangerous because, no matter how you shake it the Flyers would appear to be an easier foe than Tampa Bay and, therein, lies the trap door.
By this time, the Isles must know that the bottom-feeders too often have been the teams that seem to have torpedoed the Nassaumen when least expected.
So, the first rule is take them very seriously.
The second rule is based on the Thursday strategy; jump all over these guys from the opening face-off and maintain as much of a 60-minute blitz as possible.
A winning Islanders formula is rooted in defense. On Thursday, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock was eminently successful on both sides of the puck. The entire defensive unit was effectively physical. It should continue against Philly -- but without penalties.
I said before the last game that the Nassaumen must play with appropriate swagger and they did. So, why not more of the same along with the feeling of desperate hockey.
In it's own unique way, this cockamamee Wild Card race is nothing more than premature playoff hockey which is another way of saying that the club should blend energy with smarts.
Philly is fortified with dangerous sharpshooters and whoever Torts places in goal will be auditioning for a gig next season.
The winning blueprint followed on Thursday should be followed as closely as possible.
For the Islanders, Saturday's game should be viewed as roughly equivalent to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final.