Islanders Upcoming Schedule Provides Opportunity To Generate Wins

The New York Islanders just ripped through something of a gauntlet schedule over the course of the last two and a half weeks.

They played six teams in four different cities (three at home, three on the road), while all six opponents occupy playoff spots. 

Sequentially, the Islanders went on a road trip against the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, and Minnesota Wild. When they returned home, the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils rolled into UBS Arena.

Four of those six teams are currently in the top five of the NHL.

The Stars, who kicked off this tough run in the schedule, is not one of those four teams.

The worst team the Islanders faced was the Predators, who are now 8-4-5 and occupy the top Wild Card Spot in the Western Conference.

The Islanders went 2-3-1 in those six games. They had chances to beat both Carolina and New Jersey, but walked away with just 1 point from those two games.

Now the schedule flips. The Islanders play a grueling 10 games in 19 days, starting Monday in California against the San Jose Sharks.

Of those 10 games, there is no duplicate opponents. It's 10 unique opponents, with only two Metropolitan Division clashes against the Columbus Blue Jackets (11/17) and the Philadelphia Flyers (11/28).

Most importantly, out of these next 10 games, the Islanders play only 1 team currently in a playoff spot.

That's the red-hot Anaheim Ducks, who tote the league's top power play and currently sit third in the Pacific Division. At 5-on-5, the Ducks have not been very good thus far.

If the Islanders are going to string together some wins, now's the time.

The Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Ducks are the first three games of this stretch. 

A strong 3-0-0 road trip record can go a long way. The Islanders return home to face the Blue Jackets on the 17th before shipping back out for a two-game trip against the Winnipeg Jets and the Detroit Red Wings.

Thanksgiving week is spent at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs. St. Louis Blues, and a Black Friday game against the Jets.

The stretch ends on the road against the Flyers, which also ends the month of November.

By the time the month ends, the Islanders' season will be more than a quarter finished.

26 games out of 84 will be done. That's 30%.

By that point, there could be a good read on just who exactly this Islanders team is.

Injuries may play a role, though Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli, and Ryan Pulock may all return in California.

Still, as it stands, the Islanders are four points behind the New York Rangers for third in the Metropolitan Division.

They're also just four points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently occupy the basement of the conference.

The schedule and opportunity is there for the Islanders to surge up the standings.

The next 10 games could go a long way to deciding how the season ends.