The Islanders’ up-down, up-down form hopefully does not continue today when they host the Panthers for a 1 p.m. matinee in Elmont.
Florida split two games at home (lost to the Wild, beat the Kraken) after finishing a road trip with a 4-1 loss in Calgary. Yes, they are last-except-for-the-Rangers in the East, but the Cup champs are not pushovers and have not thrown in the towel, going 5-5 over their last 10 (just a game worse than the Islanders, by the way).
After squeaking by the Stars on Thursday, if the Islanders can pull off another win chances are it will be by one goal, which is how they’ve gotten 27 of their wins thus far this season.
Just two games last night but the Red Wings won in Buffalo, in regulation, earning a valuable two points from one of their two games in hand.