The Islanders have spent a good portion of this season banking points and considerable good will with their surprising run to the top of the Metropolitan Division.
But as they’ve entered the heart of the NHL’s playoff push, the Islanders have not raised their level of play to maintain the consistency they had from mid-December to their combined All-Star break and bye week in late January.
Which is why this home-and-home series with the woeful, trade-depleted Senators, starting with Tuesday night’s game at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum to conclude a five-game homestand that has started a disappointing 1-3-0, absolutely feels like a must-win.