The New York Islanders host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at UBS Arena.
It's a game with massive playoff implications, as the Islanders trail Montreal by three points for the second wild-card spot.
If things go Long Island's way in this game and around the league, they could wake up on Friday morning just one point out with 14 games to go.
The Islanders playing late-season meaningful games against the Canadiens at UBS Arena has become a theme in the last few seasons.
Back in 2023, the Islanders had to win their final game of the regular season, which came against Montreal to clinch a playoff spot.
Brock Nelson scored twice, with Hudson Fasching and Anders Lee recording goals in a 4-2 win to send their team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after missing a year prior.
Ironically, the Islanders were without Mathew Barzal, like they are now, due to a lower-body injury.
Then, last season, the Islanders faced the Canadiens with four games left on their schedule.
Entering their Apr. 11 contest, the Islanders had won five straight games and the winning continued with a 3-2 win against the Canadiens.
Unfortunately, the Islanders lost defenseman Noah Dobson due to injury, but the result was a 3-2 overtime win courtesy of Kyle Palmieri:
After falling 3-2 to the New York Rangers in overtime on Apr. 13, the Islanders beat the Devils 4-1 on Apr. 15 to clinch the third seed in the Metroplitan Division.
Despite their final game of the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins meaning nothing, they called off their seaosn with a 5-4 win, going 8-0-1 down the stretch.
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