After permitting Alexander Ovechkin’s file 895th objective, the New York Islanders will proceed their playoff chase after they go to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
The eyes of the sports activities world had been on the Islanders’ 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday as a result of Ovechkin handed Wayne Gretzky on the NHL’s all-time targets checklist. However the greater objective was gaining two factors and New York by no means trailed within the sport. The Islanders already held a 2-0 lead when Ovechkin’s milestone tally got here 7:26 into the second interval.
Or, because the Islanders posted on X: “WSH objective. 2-1 #Isles.”
“We knew what was at stake, that it was going to be an thrilling sport … and only a nice surroundings for the league and for his or her workforce,” mentioned Islanders captain Anders Lee. “And I believe it ended up being an ideal situation, attending to witness some fairly cool historical past whereas getting the 2 factors. Makes it a memorable day for everybody concerned. However on the finish of the day, type of the place we’re at, we would have liked the win.”
New York (34-32-10, 78 factors) stays seven factors behind the Montreal Canadiens for the ultimate Japanese Convention wild-card slot. The New York Rangers and Detroit Crimson Wings sit between the Islanders and the Habs within the standings.
An 0-4-2 drought drastically set the Islanders again of their postseason push, however New York has received its final two video games within the aftermath of that six-game slide. The Islanders now search extra success towards one of many NHL’s worst groups as they set a season-high for targets of their 7-4 dwelling victory over the Predators on March 1.
Nashville (27-42-8, 62 factors) did not do the Islanders any favors of their playoff hunt on Sunday because the Predators dropped a 2-1 consequence to the Canadiens. Regardless of a 37-17 photographs benefit, the Predators fell behind for good after permitting two targets to the Habs inside a 4:07 span within the second interval.
“Identical story, totally different night time,” mentioned Nashville ahead Michael McCarron. “It is simply been actually irritating in right here to seek out methods to win video games. … We in all probability performed 55 actually good minutes tonight. We had a five-minute lapse there within the second interval, they scored two targets, and sadly we weren’t capable of get extra.”
The Predators are on a six-game dropping streak and have been outscored 23-10 over that span. That is the third time this season Nashville has been mired in a winless streak of six or extra video games.
Filip Forsberg leads Nashville in targets (29), assists (41) and factors (70).
Justus Annunen and Juuse Saros have principally break up the goaltending begins over the past six weeks, so Annunen seemingly will play Tuesday as a result of Saros confronted Montreal. Annunen has a 2.97 targets towards common and an .896 save proportion over 21 video games since Nashville acquired the goalie in a commerce with the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 30.
Ilya Sorokin will in all probability be within the opposing web because the Islanders determine to maintain driving their beginning goalie for these crucial late-season video games. Sorokin has performed nicely over his final 13 video games, going 7-4-2 with a 2.50 GAA and .914 save proportion.
Bo Horvat leads the Islanders in assists (27) and factors (53) whereas Lee leads the membership with 27 targets.
The Predators are 5-0-0 of their final 5 dwelling video games towards the Islanders, courting again to the 2017-18 season.
–Discipline Stage Media