The New York Islanders had a chance to pad their wild-card lead this weekend, but instead, they see themselves with just a one-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins for the top wild-card spot with eight games to go.
The Florida Panthers are on the outside looking in, as they trail the Penguins by three points with no games in hand and the Islanders by four points with one game in hand.
Islanders Schedule
On Monday, the Islanders welcome the New Jersey Devils, a team that has dropped five of their last seven games. If you don't think the Devils have anything to play for now that they have clinched a playoff spot, you could not be more wrong.
The Devils find themselves just three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the top seed in the Metropolitan Division. They are slated to face the New York Rangers if the playoffs started today.
The Islanders then travel to the nation's capital to battle the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Despite Washington going the selling route at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, they aren't officially out of the wild-card race yet.
Trailing the Islanders by seven points with no games in hand, Wednesday's meeting, as well as their meeting on Apr. 10, becomes critical matchups.
The Capitals have lost four of five.
The Islanders finish off their week with one of the tougher back-to-backs a team can have, as they are in Tampa to face the Lightning Saturday night before battling the Hurricanes in Carolina on Sunday.
The Lightning haven't officially clinched, but they will finish as low as the three seed in the Atlantic Division, gearing up for a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Tampa has won three of their last four.
The Hurricanes have won three of their last five games.
Given how the Islanders played this past weekend, they will have to steal a game or two against these tougher teams, at the very least, earn a point to stay atop the wild-card race.
Listen to the latest episode of Hockey Night in New York as Stefen Rosner and Sean Cuthbert discuss the week ahead and more!
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q-_qKoK70M[/embed]
Penguins Schedule
The Penguins also have four games this week, as they face the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday, followed by the Nashville Predators Thursday, before a back-to-back against the Boston Bruins Saturday and the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.
The Penguins are 0-0-1 vs. Detroit, 1-0-0 vs. Nashville, 0-1-1 vs. Boston, and 2-0-0 vs. Philadelphia this season.
Given how netminder Casey DeSmith has played lately, one would think head coach Mike Sullivan rides him.
Panthers Schedule
The Panthers may have the more manageable schedule this week of the three teams in the wild-card race.
They are in Ottawa Monday night to face the Senators, before a back-to-back against the Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens Wednesday and Thursday, before concluding their week against the Blue Jackets on Saturday in Columbus.
The Panthers are 1-0-0 vs. Ottawa, 0-1-1 vs. Toronto, 3-0-0 vs. Montreal, and 1-1-0 vs. Columbus this season.
The Panthers have lost three straight after earning points in seven games prior (6-0-1).