New York Islanders Lose To Montreal Canadiens 4-1 In a Must-Win Game At UBS Arena
The Islanders needed to win this home game against the Montreal Canadiens on April 12. The way the playoff race is in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference, the Islanders can only make the playoffs as the third team in the Metropolitan Division. There they are chasing the Flyers, Capitals, and Blue Jackets. All of those teams need to lose for the Islanders to make the playoffs.
The Montreal Canadiens have something to play for as well. They have an outside chance to win an Atlantic Division title. More likely, they can secure first-round home ice advantage. They are much more secure than the Islanders in the playoff race. Who do you think will secure the final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division?
Islanders and Canadiens Game Summary
The most interesting thing about this game was how long it was scoreless. There was a 0-0 tie after the first period, and it was scoreless halfway through the game. Then, Nick Suzuki scored in the second period. It was his 100th point of the season. They scored three goals in less than a minute.
The Playoff Race
Both the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Islanders came into this game with playoff chances. Montreal had 104 points and was in third place in the Atlantic Division. The Buffalo Sabres have 106 points. However, they are tied with the Tampa Lightning, so passing them would be important.
The Canadiens will make the playoffs. With the loss, the Isles will not. They came into this game chasing the Flyers, Capitals, and Blue Jackets in the Metropolitan Division. It was unlikely the Isles were going to make the playoffs because the only playoff spot they could get was the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. With the loss, that became impossible, so they have been eliminated from playoff contention.
What Will DeBoer do?
This is the third game for Peter DeBoer coaching the Isles. He has one more this season, Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes, then he likely has all of next season. The most interesting thing going forward is that DeBoer is known for liking veteran players, but there are several prospects who are on their way to the Islanders.
Also, DeBoer has a reputation for being a structured disciplinarian. The Islanders need both structure and discipline, so it will be interesting to see if he can impose his will on the team. Any team that gives up three goals, at home, in less than a minute, clearly needs help.
The Future
With the back-to-back home losses that knocked NY out of playoff contention, they are left to think about the future. One observation about the current team is order. Clearly, the head coach does not matter. They lost with Patrick Roy as head man, and they lost with DeBoer as the head man. The problems with the team are systemic.
It is now time to think about the future. Fortunately, several prospects could debut for the Islanders over the next couple of seasons. The team needs to get faster and needs more players who can be characterized as snipers. They also need a big, bruising defenseman. Thankfully, the team’s prospects fit these needs. It will be interesting to see how many of these prospects will make it with the big club.
