The New York Islanders are playoff-bound. From this two-game series against the New York Rangers, the Isles needed two regulation wins to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They took care of business in two statement shutout wins.
The Islanders thoroughly controlled play in these last two games, making life fairly easy for Semyon Varlamov, who has not allowed a goal in three-and-a-half games, a new franchise record.
There is a week left in the Isles’ regular season. Of the five remaining games, four come against the East Division’s basement dwellers in the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils.