The New York Islanders' odds of making the playoffs are not very high and haven't been for most of the season.
However, they are doing everything they can to keep the dream alive. A 3-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night was their 4th consecutive victory.
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Depending on what the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs do this weekend, if the Islanders win Saturday and Sunday they could punch their ticket the postseason for a 3rd consecutive year.
For a team who lost forwards Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen and Matt Martin in the offseason, then went through a coaching change midway through the season, it's amazing the Islanders still have any life. They were in the basement when coach Jack Capuano was fired Jan. 17. He had been behind the bench for seven seasons.
Doug Weight took over the role and somehow has this team fighting through the bitter end. Offseason signing Andrew Ladd is starting to score, and they'll need it as superstar center John Tavares remains out of the lineup with an injury.
Tavares' injury could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for these Islanders, but they continue to fight on. And now with goalie Thomas Greiss hurt, Jaroslav Halak has been called up to help the playoff push. Halak has won four straight, allowing just four goals over that stretch. He's been known to turn into a brick wall when it matters -- think back to the 2010 playoffs when he put the Montreal Canadiens on his back.
The Islanders will face the Devils Saturday night and the Senators on Sunday.
Here's the Eastern Conference playoff picture:
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