The New York Islanders were riding high entering Friday and Saturday's back-to-back with a two-point lead for the top wild-card spot after three straight wins.
But the Islanders did not come ready to play Friday night, ultimately losing 5-4 in overtime to the bottom-feeding Columbus Blue Jackets. They did get a point which extended their lead in the wild-card race to three, but as Zach Parise said, "We left one on the table."
On Saturday night, the Islanders seemed gassed. They failed to get a point, losing 2-0 to the Buffalo Sabres, who were also to the second of a back-to-back after beating the New Jersey Devils 5-4 the night before.
With the Pittsburgh Penguins winning on Saturday night, a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals, the Islanders' wild-card lead sits at just one point, with Pittsburgh having one game in hand.
That being said, let's get to your questions and comments.
Total frustration! (@bvm15)
Just when the New York Islanders were starting to play their brand of hockey, they couldn't keep it going against teams behind them in the standings. Back-to-backs are tricky for everyone, but not being ready to play cannot be tolerated with now eight games to go with the playoffs anything but a sure thing.
Friday and Saturday were a chance to extend their wild-card lead, and they botched it, plain and simple.
Why do they manhandle the Leafs and then vanish with relatively easy points on the line? (@nightflyblog)
Against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Islanders played a hard-fought game on their way to a 7-2 win. They were hard on the forecheck, pressuring the Maple Leafs into a handful of giveaways and finding ways to capitalize.
They earned that win.
Kyle Palmieri said Friday night that they didn't come ready to play. And on Saturday, Islanders head coach Lane Lambert said their execution was poor. They were not ready to go from the start, per observations.
You saw what the Islanders could do when they raised the tempo, as we saw in the third period against the Blue Jackets, scoring two goals in eight minutes. The Blue Jackets and Sabres just wanted it more.
If the Islanders miss the playoffs or bow out fast in Round 1, how in the world does Lou Lamoriello keep his job? (@aa19273179)
I understand the anger towards Lou Lamoriello for keeping the team intact after what transpired a season ago. His one change was acquiring Alexander Romanov at the 2022 NHL Draft, but the apparent need was offense.
However, when the Islanders made it clear that last season's struggles were not just a product of COVID-19, following an abysmal January, Lamoriello acquired Bo Horvat, extended him, giving Mathew Barzal a dynamic partner for the first time in his career.
When Barzal went down, Lamoriello went out and got Pierre Engvall, who has shown to be a strong fit, rejuvenating Brock Nelson and Palmieri.
Lamoriello's moves may earn him another contract despite the roster's flaws.
I'm sure we will have no trouble keeping up with the Devils on Monday. That's what is on my mind. (@DavidMoss21)
The Blue Jackets and Sabres are fast teams, and fast teams have given the Islanders trouble all season. The New Jersey Devils are one of those fast teams whose speed embarrassed the Islanders in the fourth game of this season if you remember.
Despite clinching a playoff spot Saturday night, they are fighting for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, so they have something to play for.
If the Islanders play the way they played this weekend, rather than the three games prior, the Devils will give them trouble. Any team will.
Should we be concerned with Horvat? He has not been good lately. (@Strafficman)
Horvat has no goals over his last 11 games, a player brought to the Islanders for his offense. He has just five goals in 22 games with New York after 31 in 49 games with the Vancouver Canucks.
But not having Barzal, and a rotation of right-wingers, has hurt his scoring touch.
He's struggled the last two games, passing up a shooting chance on Saturday night, which is rather uncharacteristic of him. Despite his offensive struggles, he is one of the reasons the Islanders are in a playoff spot.
The Islanders eventually need him to find his scoring touch, even if Barzal doesn't return before the postseason...if they make it.
The lack of a winger is becoming more and more clear with each loss. (@windynoeru)
The New York Islanders were 9-3-1 without Mathew Barzal entering the weekend back-to-back. Lambert had shuffled players around, from Josh Bailey to Simon Holmstrom, alongside Horvat and Anders Lee.
Holmstrom held Barzal's spot for the last three games, with Bailey as a healthy scratch. But after Holmstrom struggled Friday night, Lambert played Bailey on the top line, but he failed to make the most of the opportunity, being demoted to the fourth line halfway through. And that impacted the fourth line's effectiveness, a line that has been showing well as of late.
The Islanders desperately need Barzal back because Horvat is struggling without him in the lineup, with just one goal over his last 12 games.
Do you think it's time to take Dobson off the first power play unit? He is too deliberate. How about trying Pulock in his spot? (@kear20)
The Islanders' power play has been a mess, converting at a 13.2 percent clip since Barzal went down. Noah Dobson has undoubtedly played a part in it. Dobson has been the puck possessor with no. 13 out of the lineup, but has failed to get over the blue line too often. He's struggled with decision-making and keeping the puck in the offensive zone.
Ryan Pulock has been given the chance as a power-play quarterback over the years, but his inconsistencies with hitting the net lost him that opportunity. He's been in the one-time spot on power-play two, with Sebastian Aho as the quarterback.
Aho has shown well in the limited minutes that unit gets, but he's missed two straight games, day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and we have no idea when he will be back.
I think either Samuel Bolduc or Adam Pelech should get a chance. Bolduc, who was recalled for his special team prowess, has shown a shoot-first mentality and is currently quarterbacking power-play two. Maybe, Lambert will see what he can do with the top unit, but all likelihood is that Dobson remains.
Iskhakov needs to be called up and placed on the Bo line (@Charlie06308011)
There's excitement for 22-year-old Ruslan Iskhakov, the first-year AHLer, who has 17 goals and 32 assists in 60 games with the Bridgeport Islanders.
But there's a reason why the five-foot-nine forward has been passed upon, one of the only young players in the minors not to get a chance at the NHL level this season.
It's clear that they don't think he is ready to make an impact, and with how tight the playoff race is, the Islanders need players with NHL experience, even if it's just half a season worth like Holmstrom or Bailey, who is finishing up his 15th season.