The New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers both did their part to tighten up the Eastern Conference playoff race Monday night. However, somebody will gain a little bit of separation Tuesday when the Islanders host the Flyers in a battle of Metropolitan Division rivals at Barclays Center.
Both teams beat fellow Eastern Conference contenders Monday night. The visiting Islanders scored four goals in the first 21 minutes of a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals, and the host Flyers scored the game's final four goals in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers.
By winning for the fourth time in six games -- and collecting at least one point for the sixth time in seven games -- the Islanders (70 points) moved into a tie for third place in the Metropolitan Division with the Columbus Blue Jackets.