The New York Islanders have kept us off balance all year by providing a vertigo-inducing mix of impressive and disappointing performances.
They have risen to the occasion against some tough opponents, cracking open a window of hope that in the playoffs — should they get there — they could be a tough out like they were in the first three seasons under Barry Trotz. They’ve also followed up many of those results with puzzling, face-palm moments, some of them against the league’s bottom tier.
As things stand now, 22-17-2 after 41 games, they just concluded a humbling 1-4 road trip that now leads into a five-game homestand where they better do some real damage.