The New York Islanders are in Detroit, where the Red Wings have 29 points in 28 games — not gangbusters, but productive enough to be in technical playoff discussion in mid-December in a division that has three bottom-feeders.
However, since they beat the Islanders in a shootout 10 days ago, they’ve lost three in a row — giving up five goals to Nashville (empty net caveat), six to St. Louis (same), and seven to Colorado (again, including an empty netter).
The Isles have 19 points — 21 behind Washington! — from 23 games.