PHILADELPHIA — It’s just a number.
Yet the chance to finally get back to NHL .500 (wins and losses, never mind the overtime or shootout defeats) for the first time in more than two months is meaningful for the Islanders in their uphill battle to get back into playoff contention.
"I’d say it’s the first step," Casey Cizikas said. "Standings are tough to look at. You can look at them one way and kind of be upset or you just take it game by game and I think that’s what we’re doing here. Each game is the most important game of the year to us right now.