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WASHINGTON – The Islanders do not need any help to make sure of the house advantage for the first round of the playoffs. But to get into the last day of the regular season, among all the teams that could help them, it ends up being the Rangers.
While the Islanders were ready for the regular season final against the Capitals on Saturday night – and Washington had already won its fourth consecutive Metropolitan division crown with a win on Thursday night and that there was nothing wrong with it. Another to play – a single point for Barry Trotz's team would finish second place and a series starting at the Coliseum on Wednesday or Thursday.
But the Islanders could also keep this place if the Rangers won a regulation victory in Pittsburgh Saturday night, the second leg of a return match for the Blueshirts after hosting the Blue Jackets Friday night.
Of course, the Rangers are in another slump after the deadline and are watching the chances of the draw more than anything else. But this group of proud professionals still wants to win, not focusing on overtaking the Red Wings or Sabers and increasing the odds of the first or two percent choice.
If the Rangers beat the Penguins in regulation, it could also give the Hurricanes the opportunity to beat Pittsburgh for third place in the division if they went to Philadelphia and beat the Flyers. The Hurricanes play well, surfing the emotions of their slogan marketing "A pile of jerks", wrapped in gifts, and their whimsical (if immature). But they remain a more favorable opponent in series than Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and the rest of the Pittsburgh crew who has won three Stanley Cups in the last decade.
So, yes, the Islanders have the fate of their rink in their hands, but the help they need to be better prepared in the playoffs may also be useful.
"I've been high on [the Coliseum] all year long, but that does not matter, "Trotz said after his team's victory in the Panthers' shootout in Sunrise, Fla., on Thursday night.
Trotz canceled Friday's training, which also indicates that his team is focusing solely on preparation for the playoffs. Asked about the importance of the benefit of ice at home, he replied that it was more for the fans than for the team, before quoting the records "almost identical" 24-13-4 at home and 24-13-3 on the road.
Home records are almost shared between the two Islanders sites. They were 12-7-2 at Long Island, where there was a 97.1% capacity and a fantastic environment, and 12-6-2 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the games would be played at home if the Islanders were to exceed the first round.
But again, it seemed to go a little further than Trotz wants. After Thursday's game, he said he did not really think about what he could do in his final roster, with the possibility of resting the players still viable.
It is likely that the Capitals are not preparing in the same way as in Match 1 of their first-round match, as they are still trying to find a solution to the loss of key defender Michal Kempny.
But that's how it happens in the last days of the regular season, when all the elements like the finish for the playoffs are set, but that little things like health and sowing can to be regulated. Trotz knows this since his 20 years on the NHL bench, including last season, when he led the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup title.
It is therefore another game that goes hand in hand with some questions and some external factors. The Islanders would like to have the advantage of being at home and would not refuse the help of a partner as unlikely as the Rangers. But in the end, they want to play well in the single game of the regular season that remains to be ready for the playoffs – no matter where and against whom it starts.
"That prepares us," said Trotz, "and I like that."
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