The Islanders are set up to potentially have the good start so important given the NHL’s shortened, 56-game regular season with only half of the East Division’s eight teams qualifying for the playoffs.
They complete a home-and-home series against the Devils on Sunday night at Prudential Center after a thorough 4-1 win on Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum.
The Islanders (3-1-0) then play Tuesday and Thursday nights at Washington and the Capitals are expected to be without captain Alex Ovechkin, No. 1 goalie Ilya Samsonov, top-six center Evgeny Kuznetsov and defenseman Dmitry Orlov, all on the NHL’s COVID-absence list because of protocol violations.