While the Islanders have won three of their last four games during this critical stretch run to open a six-point lead (pending Buffalo’s game in Florida last night) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, Dave Scatchard hopes the team avoids the problems that had gotten it into such a fierce battle for the postseason.
“We do have some breathing room right now, but it’s not enough for us to relax,” the center said after the team practiced in Syosset yesterday with just eight games remaining, including five at home. “I think after [Friday] night that we’re back on track, but I’ve thought that before and then we’ve stumbled.”
Indeed, this most recent successful run comes on the heels of a four-game losing streak that could have derailed the team’s postseason plans.
The Islanders can help their chances today when they host the East-leading Lightning at the Coliseum. And despite the teams’ differences in the standings, Scatchard insisted that his teammates aren’t cowed by Tampa Bay.
“We respect them, but we’re not intimidated,” Scatchard said. “We can’t afford to be.”
Scatchard has a point, especially since the Islanders just beat the Lightning 3-1 Tuesday in a meeting in Tampa.
“There’s been a lot of pressure on us since we keep chasing the playoffs,” Scatchard said. “Now is the time to lock ourselves in.”
If they are to do that, the Islanders could use some more performances from netminder Rick DiPietro like the one he gave in Friday’s win over Minnesota.
DiPietro was yanked from a 6-4 loss to Florida in the previous match, but rebounded against the Wild, and while head coach Steve Stirling said yesterday that he was unsure of who his goalie would be today, he remained pleased with the way in which DiPietro responded to trouble.
“Anytime a young goalie struggles, you want to get him back out there again,” Stirling said. “He showed what he was made of.”
More of that will become evident as the team closes out the regular season and DiPietro believes that the string of must-win games might even benefit the Islanders if they do hold off the Sabres and nab the eighth spot.
“I’d rather have it sewn up, but it’s kind of like a playoff atmosphere all the time now,” DiPietro said. “And I hope that would help us get ready for the test of the playoffs, where every game is like that.”
Still, he’s not looking too far ahead.
“First, we have to close this thing out and it’s come down to the final eight games,” DiPietro said. “We’re ready for the sprint to the end.”
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Stirling said both Shawn Bates and Alexander Karpovtsev will sit out today’s game. Bates will miss his sixth straight with a groin injury, while it will be Karpovtsev’s third consecutive scratch due to a contusion.
