Lighthouse Hockey · Sep 21, 2018
Question #20: Can the Isles make the playoffs?
On March 26, 2018, the Islanders were scratched out by a score of 3-0 at the claws of the Florida Panthers, one of their more lackluster efforts in a season seemingly filled with them. This languid and bittersweet defeat stands out a bit more than its many 2017-18 counterparts, as it marked their mathematical elimination from postseason contention. This iteration of the squad was put, officially, out of its misery.
Of course, by that point, there was little doubt of how the season would ultimately conclude. The subhead of Dom’s recap that evening: “Finally, the math has done what the spirit began in December: Eliminated the Isles from the playoff chase.”