MONTREAL — It doesn’t feel fair to say the Islanders are at risk of blowing a playoff spot when they haven’t really played in a way that should constitute that label.
They’re 7-4-0 since the Olympic break, winners of four of their last six heading into their two most important games of the season, in Montreal on Saturday and hosting the Blue Jackets on Sunday. Thursday night’s 3-2 loss to the Senators was one of their worst games of the past month, but under most circumstances would be little cause for big-picture alarm.
Except, this isn’t most circumstances, and the Islanders are suddenly in real danger of blowing a playoff spot that, for months, has seemed like a fait accompli. Friday was the first time they were below the cutoff line since Dec. 4. As recently as March 1, the Islanders had a nine-point lead on Columbus with four more games played and 21 games left in their season.
The Blue Jackets got eight points from eight in those games in hand and gained two more on the Islanders for good measure Thursday night to pass them in the standings. Yes, this is more about the Blue Jackets catching fire than the Islanders falling apart. No, that will not blunt the impact if the unthinkable happens.
