The New York Islanders want us to take them seriously. They really do. And we are obliging them because they are beating the best the National Hockey League has to offer.

The New York Islanders want us to take them seriously. They really do. 

And we are obliging them because they are beating the best the National Hockey League has to offer.

On Saturday night, they halted the Kings' record-breaking win record, and last night at UBS, they shredded the previously hot Maple Leafs 4-3 on Bo Horvat's conversion of a Mat Barzal two-on-one with only 46 seconds gone in overtime

"The hockey gods rewarded them," said MSG Networks Butch Goring. "They played a very good game against a very good team."

The fans loved the two-pointer despite the fact that irksome John (alias Johnny Pyjamas) Taveres potted a goal and an assist. The beauty part was that he shlepped to the team bus in defeat.

Funny, but the night's three stars were Kyle Palmieri, Brock Nelson, and Bo Horvat, but you could shake it, bake it, turn it upside down, and make it a five-star night by adding Barzal and Ilya Sorokin. 

"Early in overtime," Goring pointed out, "Sorokin stopped a two-on-one with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner."

It was hairy-scarey. Matthews, who already had scored the game's opening goal in the first period, had Sorokin at his mercy but the Isles stopper made the first save but left a rebound for the Leaf. Ilya then stopped him again. 

Then came the textbook play engineered by the Textbook Twins, Mat, and Bo. 

Once Sorokin made his second monstrous save, Barzal made like the Elmont Express down the right side with the Isles now on a two-on-one with Horvat keeping pace on the left.

Goring: "Barzy then gave Bo a perfect saucer pass, and Horvat put it away (in the upper right corner of the net.")

Mind you, this was not an easy two-pointer. The Visitors rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the contest in the dying seconds on a "lucky bounce," as Goring called it, and that could have discouraged the Islanders. 

But Sorokin erased any thoughts of sadness when he stoned two of the most lethal scorers in the league. Which raises a good question"

Is it legitimate to call a team that's 8-1-2 in its last 11 games "Hot?" Why not?

You start with Vezina candidate Sorokin and then proceed to his co-host, Semyon (Put Me In Any Time, Anywhere) Varlamov. Varly simply continues to be one of the NHL's best starting back-ups.

As for the streaking Barzal, I added him to my five stars of the night for a reason.

I mean, how about this Dipsy-Doodler? His 26th assist -- on the winner, mind you -- gives him 13 points (3-10) in his last six games. That's not too shabby since boss Lou Lamoriello gently suggested that Barzy and Bo "up" their game ever so slightly.

As for the other stars, Palmieri and Nelson, they were honored because they delivered. Nelly tied the game 1-1 with assists from Palmy and Noah (A Norris candidate, for sure)

Dobson at 9:20 of the opener.

Casey Cizikas got his fourth of the season to put the hosts ahead 2-1 at the end of the first period. Palmieri made it a 3-1 game in the second from Nelson and Dobson. He also made a good point.

"Part of our success comes from getting the puck in and having our big bodies protect it. On my goal, it worked well."

As is an Islander tradition, no game is complete without boos for the runaway former captain Tavares, to  Pyjama's credit he came away with a goal and assist to reach the coveted 1,000 point career mark.

But what really mattered was a win that solidified the Isles's position in the very tight playoff race.

That and the fact that there have been widespread contributions, starting with the ace Horvat.

"We have a lot of belief in here," Bo explained, "and a lot of really good hockey players.  A lot of guys are contributing in big ways. And different guys, too. That's what you need to win, and that's what we're doing now."

Frankly, The Maven likes coach Lane Lambert's coda best of all:

"We found a way." Then, a pause: "And that's what good teams do!"

The Maven adds: Seriously!