The New York Islanders were able to enjoy three days off following one of their most impressive wins of the season.
They will need a little more than 24 hours to find out if the win was a sign of things to come or just another false start.
The Islanders will begin a pivotal two-game stretch Friday night when they face the Philadelphia Flyers in Elmont, N.Y.
The Islanders haven’t played since Monday, when they scored three times early in the second period of a 3-1 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers will be completing a back-to-back set in the Big Apple area after taking a 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
Bo Horvat had two of the goals Monday night for the Islanders, who maintained their flickering playoff hopes with a second straight win. New York is eight points behind the Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning, who occupy the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.
Consecutive games this weekend against a pair of contenders will provide the Islanders with the chance to build some momentum and provide an idea of whether or not they can mount a postseason run. New York has won more than two straight games just once this season — a three-game winning streak earlier this month.
After hosting the Flyers, the Islanders will welcome the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. New York will oppose its divisional foes without defenseman Noah Dobson, who is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury sustained in the third period against Columbus.
“It’s just crunch time, I guess,” said Islanders center Mathew Barzal, who had the primary assist on both of Horvat’s goals. “It should be there every game, but it’s just one of those desperate times of the year where we’ve got to win.”
The urgency for the Flyers may have increased Thursday night, when Owen Tippett scored just 1:25 into the first period before the Rangers scored six unanswered goals. Philadelphia wound up with its most lopsided defeat since a 9-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on April 9.
The Thursday setback ended a six-game point streak (5-0-1) for the Flyers, whose surge was preceded by a 5-10-2 skid from Dec. 5 through Jan. 9. The Flyers missed a chance to climb within a point of the Lightning and Blue Jackets with the latest defeat, which also left them two points behind the Rangers, Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.
“We play (Friday) night, so we’re going to forget about it, move on (and) get ready for the Islanders,” said Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim, who finished with a minus-3 rating against the Rangers. “It’s going to be another big game for us to (try and) get two points. Obviously, these are important games for us. Just move on and get ready for (Friday).”
The Friday night clash is the second of three games between the Islanders and Flyers in a two-week span. Philadelphia earned a 5-3 win in Elmont on Jan. 16 and will host New York on Jan. 30.
–Field Level Media
