Jordan Eberle of the Islanders, center, celebrates his third goal of the game against the Detroit Red Wings with teammates Anders Lee and Nick Leddy at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Islanders had not been out of a playoff position since mid-October and were coming off an 0-4-0 western road trip in which they totaled two goals.
Facing the NHL-worst Red Wings temporarily resolved those issues, though the goal output is still problematic.
The Islanders, with a revamped lineup, followed the pregame jersey retirement ceremony of four-time Stanley Cup-winner John Tonelli’s No.