There was a point quite recently when the New York Islanders seemed quite secure in a playoff position. Nothing was guaranteed, of course, but a wild card seemed a near given, and with Ilya Sorokin between the pipes, their destiny as a tough first-round out for the Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricanes was all but locked in.
Thanks to a stretch where they've lost five of their past nine games -- including to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets -- their position is more tenuous. Heading into tonight's contest with the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.