The ever-present threat to best laid plans is hockey is the fact you can win games you have little business winning, and lose games where you gave a victory-worthy effort.
That can be applied to both Islanders-Capitals meetings this month, as the Isles stole a 3-0 win in Washington earlier this month, only to fall 4-1 at home Saturday night despite one of their best efforts of the season. Goaltending, as so often the case, was the difference on both nights — tonight, it was Hunter Shepard earning a first star in his second NHL start.
The timing is tough in both instances.