For the first time since early December, the NY Islanders find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture, with an uphill battle ahead. Despite playing well since returning from the Olympic break with a 7-4 record, the teams around them in the standings, most notably the Columbus Blue Jackets, have been better.
With 13 games remaining in the regular season, the Islanders will need to play their best hockey down the stretch, but it will be far from easy. Going into a pivotal game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, the Islanders have the second-toughest remaining schedule among all NHL teams, according to Tankathon.