The Islanders remember how last season ended — with a Game 7 loss in Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
This year, they’d like to avoid having to play a decisive game on the road, which right now would be against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
So Sunday’s hand-wringing 6-4 win over their crosstown rivals at MSG didn’t just put an exclamation point on an excellent road trip, but it also got them closer to a better setup in the postseason.