The New York Islanders have done it. After a tough battle with their Eastern Conference foes, the Islanders have clinched the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
New York punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday by beating the Montreal Canadiens. The Islanders only needed a point to secure their playoff lives.
The Islanders’ playoff berth has ended the hopes of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh will miss the playoffs for the first time since Sidney Crosby’s second season in 2006-07.
The win on Wednesday means the Islanders will enter the playoffs as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. It is not clear who the Islanders will face in the playoffs as of now.
New York’s regular season is over, with the Islanders having played all 82 games. They finish on 93 points and currently hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. As things stand, the team would face the New Jersey Devils round one.
However, they are not locked into that spot. The Florida Panthers can jump them with a win in their final game of the season. If that happens, the Islanders are locked into a first-round matchup with the Boston Bruins.
Trade acquisition Bo Horvat, forward Mat Barzal, and winger Brock Nelson lead New York. Nelson leads the team with 71 points this season, while Barzal is second behind him. Horvat has 16 points in 29 games since his trade to Long Island.
The Islanders have also received a great performance in goal from Ilya Sorokin. He finishes the season with 30 wins, a 2.35 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage in 59 starts.