The standings said it was a battle for first place in the East Division between two teams tied for that distinction with 10 games remaining, and it was an entertaining game that lived up to that billing.
After three goalless periods and overtime, the Capitals defeated the Islanders in a shootout on Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum, with Evgeny Kuznetsov scoring in the third round to give Washington a 2-1 decision.
But the biggest implication of the game — and the two more between the teams in the coming days — might be what it means to playoff seedings to come, and how crucial home ice could be.