Islanders-Canadiens matchup isn't what it was

The Islanders' Brock Nelson scores on Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen during the second period of an NHL game Nov. 4, 2021, in Montreal. Credit: AP/Ryan Remiorz

Eight months ago, this could have been the Stanley Cup Final.

Now, the Islanders facing the Canadiens on Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena serves as a cautionary tale of how fleeting success can be in the NHL and the importance of taking advantage of those playoff opportunities.

"We always remember our last few runs," Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. "We wanted to play Montreal last year, we were so close. I think it just brings that level of our game higher when we play them again just to show what would have happened if we would have played…