During his press conference after the early skate Saturday morning, Islanders head coach Jack Capuano suggested his team had the same attributes as their dynastic predecessors.

The early 1980s Islanders were one of the legendary teams in NHL history. But before they won four Cups in four years, there was a five-year period of devastating playoff losses. They lost before they won.

It is a painful lesson the 2013 edition learned all too excruciatingly as their renaissance season ended Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Pittsburgh won the best-of-seven series, 4-2, and will meet the Senators in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“Overtime and they get a lucky shot. It really [ticks] you off. It really does,” Travis Hamonic said. “I think that we played really well. We could’ve won the series — should’ve, in my opinion. It leaves a bitter, sour taste for the rest of the summer.

“It’s going to take awhile — weeks — to digest this.”

Brooks Orpik’s goal 7:49 into the extra session was the series clincher. Orpik’s slapshot appeared to deflect off Brad Boyes before it sailed past Evgeni Nabokov (32 saves).

“I’m not even sure how that last one went in,” Matt Martin said.

As the Penguins mobbed each other along the half boards in celebration, the crowd of 16,170 who packed the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike began chanting “MVP!” toward Hart Trophy-finalist John Tavares and “Let’s Go Islanders.”

It was a final tribute to a team which defied expectations while giving their supporters a first taste of a tantalizing future.

“They’re going to be in the playoffs for a long time,” Sidney Crosby said.

Last night, in the do-or-die game, it was the Islanders who controlled the vast majority of play due to their hitting and speed. The eighth seed outhit the top-seeded Penguins 31-23, and forced 15 takeaways compared to Pittsburgh’s six.

By being able to implement the speed and physical elements of their game, the Islanders were able to generate offense. The Islanders had a 38-21 advantage in shots on goal, and had a 73-56 advantage in attempted shots.

“We showed we [can] play with anyone,” Martin said. “We’re excited about the future.”

Tavares opened the scoring with a snapshot goal 5:36 into the match. The marker ended the Islanders’ goalless streak of 143:18 against Tomas Vokoun dating back to March 22.

The lead lasted all of 123 seconds. Jarome Iginla tied the game 2:03 later by shoving the rebound of a Sidney Crosby shot past Nabokov.

Not being able to build upon a lead was a game- and series-long theme for the Islanders, who had leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 Saturday night, but were unable to extend the advantage.

“We just couldn’t get that second-goal lead,” Hamonic said.

Another aspect that felled the Islanders was an ineffective power play. The Islanders finished the series 2-for-20 on the man advantage, and were 0-for-3 in Game 6. All three power plays came in the second period.

“Pretty much all year they had a good [penalty kill],” Capuano said of the Penguins. “They were consistent. We had our chances. It’s not like we didn’t have chances tonight. We had [Matt] Moulson on the back door, just weren’t able to bury it.

“I thought our adjustments as we moved along helped us a little bit, but we talk about health, luck, goaltending and special teams in the playoffs. Their special teams were better than ours.”

Yet in the immediate aftermath, there was an unmistakable sense of pride and accomplishment emanating from the Islanders room. The franchise’s five-year long rebuilding process has begun to bear fruit, and there was already a collective eye looking toward the 2013-14 season and beyond.

“We took huge strides as an organization. Not many people gave us a chance to get where we got,” Capuano said. “Anybody that watched the games, saw the crowd and the atmosphere in the building, we got some respect around the league right now. We got good players. To attract some players, they want to play with good players. They should realize now we have a good young core of guys, some good veterans, and I’m sure it opened some eyes for people around the league that will be unrestricted.”

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Thirteen Islanders made their playoff debuts in this series, including Josh Bailey, Travis Hamonic, Matt Martin, Andrew MacDonald (who will miss the next 6-to-8 weeks after undergoing surgery for a broken hand after being struck by a puck in Game 4), Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo and John Tavares.

“I think they’ve embraced it,” head coach Jack Capuano said after the Islanders’ morning skate at the Coliseum Saturday. “They’ve embraced it.

“We’re trying to win a Stanley Cup. It’s everybody’s goal at the start of the year to try to hoist the Cup. That’s our goal. We’re up [against] a good team. We know that. But if we play our game, we feel we have a chance.”

More praise for Tavares

Tavares’s strong regular season has earned the franchise bedrock critical praise.

The NHL announced Friday that Tavares, Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby and Washington left wing Alex Ovechkin were the finalists for the Hart Trophy. The voting was done by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Should Tavares win the Hart, he would join Bryan Trottier in 1979 as the only Islanders to earn the award.

Tavares finished the truncated regular season with 28 goals, 19 assists and 47 points in 48 games. The 28 goals were third most in the NHL.

“I probably wouldn’t be standing up here [Saturday morning] talking to you guys [in the media] if we didn’t have the performance of John Tavares and the way he’s played for us,” Capuano said. “He’s a big reason why we’re here.”

Crosby, Ovechkin and Tampa Bay right wing Martin St. Louis were named as finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award on Thursday. The Ted Lindsay Award is awarded to the most outstanding player as voted on by other players. Both the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Awards will be presented during the Stanley Cup final.

“It’s a well-deserved honor for a guy who works that hard,” Capuano said.

Radio exposure

WFAN carried WHRU’s broadcast of Saturday night’s game, in a joint statement released by the all-sports radio station and the Islanders Friday.

“The New York Islanders are an incredible story this year,” WFAN and CBS Radio New York Vice President of Programming Mark Chernoff said in the statement. “Led by their Hart Trophy finalist John Tavares, this team has all of New York excited about the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’re excited to team with the Islanders and Hofstra University, 88.7 WRHU, to broadcast such a crucial game.”

Saturday night marked the second time in as many games an all-sports station picked up WRHU’s broadcast of an Islanders playoff game. ESPN New York 98.7 carried WRHU’s broadcast of the 4-0 loss in Game 5.

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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A season in which the Islanders began to flex long unused muscles is one loss away from ending.

The Islanders were shut out by Tomas Vokoun and the Penguins, 4-0, in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at the CONSOL Energy Center.

Pittsburgh leads the best-of-seven series, 3-2. Game 6 is set for May 11 at the Nassau Coliseum.

The game was alarmingly reminiscent of the 5-0 loss in Game 1, in which the Islanders were not aggressive against the Eastern Conference’s top seed. Pittsburgh finished with more hits (33-27) and more blocked shots (14-8) in a game in which Pegnuins head coach Dan Bylsma made personnel changes.

Along with replacing goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury with Vokoun, Bylsma added Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale to the lineup in an attempt to ice a heavier, more physical team.

It was Kennedy who opened the scoring 7:25 into the second with his first goal of the series in his first game in the series. Kennedy corralled a long home run pass from Kris Letang at the Islanders blue line and bore down on Evgeni Nabokov before pumping a quick shot past the Islanders’ goaltender.

Douglas Murray flipped a harmless-looking shot from the half boards that popped up off a stick and bounced off of Nabokov into the net 1:22 later to make it 2-0.

Sidney Crosby increased the lead to 3-0 nearly six minutes later when he wove through the neutral zone and beat Nabokov stickside. Crosby’s goal was evocative of a Mario Lemieux goal scored against the Islanders in 1988, which the Penguins franchise has commemorated with a statue outside of the arena.

For all intents and purposes the competitive portion of the game was over by the second intermission, but Crosby left no doubt about the outcome by setting up Norris Trophy candidate Kris Letang’s power-play goal 5:33 into the third. Crosby walked down the wall and threw a gorgeous diagonal backhand pass that Letang drove over Nabokov.

Following the goal, Islanders head coach Jack Capuano replaced Nabokov with Kevin Poulin. Poulin replaced Nabokov in the 5-0 loss in Game 1.

Vokoun made 31 saves. Nabokov allowed all four Penguins goals on 27 shots. Poulin stopped all four shots he faced.

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The renaissance season will last at least two more games.

The Islanders return to Pittsburgh having evened the Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup by topping the Penguins 6-4 in Game 4.

Game 5 is Thursday night at Pittsburgh’s CONSOL Energy Center.

“Anytime you play a team like that, as skilled as they are, I thought we did a great job,” head coach Jack Capuano said after the best-of-seven series was reduced to a best-of-three. “We did a lot of good things.”

John Tavares’s goal with 9:49 left was the game-winner. Tavares fired a shot that skittered under Marc-Andre Fleury’s arm and along the ice after Brad Boyes forced an Evgeni Malkin turnover in the Penguins’ end.

The goal broke a 4-4 deadlock.

The win was the Islanders’ first at the Coliseum in the Stanley Cup playoffs since April 28, 2002. The Islanders beat the Maple Leafs, 5-3, in a game remembered for Eric Cairns’s TKO of Shayne Corson.

The Islanders led twice, 1-0 and 2-1. Brian Strait opened the scoring 5:55 into the match with a 51-footer that fooled Fleury.

But as quickly as the Islanders had leads, the Pens tied the game. Forty-five seconds after Strait’s goal, James Neal tied the game at 1-1 with his first of the postseason. Evgeni Malkin tied the game at 2-2 1:02 later.

“We’ve learned areas of our game where we need to be better,” Capuano said. “The one thing about that team is that they don’t need many chances. They can strike — quick — and they did that. But I thought we responded well and you can see our guys growing.”

Brandon Sutter gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the game, 3-2, at the 11:03 mark of the second. But the Pens couldn’t grow the lead and it cost them when Kyle Okposo’s behind-the-net backhand banked off of Fleury’s pads into the cage with 1:24 left in the period.

“I knew Fleury was scrambling around. I knew there [were] a lot of bodies in front and I was trying to get it out there,” Okposo said. “Bank it off something and it ended up going off him.”

Fleury allowed all six goals on 24 shots.

“We want to get shots from everywhere,” Okposo said when asked if the Islanders were making a concerted effort to make Fleury work. “Obviously you don’t shoot too much from behind the net, but we’re trying to get pucks to the net and get bodies there.”

Pittsburgh went up 4-3 41 seconds into the third when Pascal Dupuis tipped Chris Kunitz’s centering feed past Evgeni Nabokov (27 saves). It was Dupuis’s fourth goal of the series.

Mark Streit tied the game with a shot that ricocheted off Douglas Murray’s skate at 4:30 of the third period. It was his second goal of the game, after being credited with a power-play score in the second.

“We don’t want to have to [play] ping-pong game, up-and-down,” Streit said. “We like to get the lead and play well defensively. Sometimes things just happen and they’re going to get opportunities. It’s just how you respond as a team. [You] just have to keep working and keep plugging away and work for your chances. Never give up.”

Casey Cizikas’s second of the series ended the scoring, yet there was one last pyrotechnic display as Malkin and Travis Hamonic engaged in a fight as the horn sounded which saw all 10 players on the ice get involved.

“You have to ask them,” said Hamonic, when asked why the scuffle started. “Let them think what they think. We’ll worry about ourselves. It’s the way we like to play, but you’d have to go and ask them if they’re frustrated.”

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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John Tavares’ message was direct and to-the-point: there is no time to live in the past.

“[It was a] long day and a half for us,” Tavares said after the Islanders’ morning skate at the Nassau Coliseum Tuesday morning prior to Game 4 against the Penguins. “It was a great hockey game, I’m sure, to watch and be a part of it, but we need [Game 4].

“[It’s] a big one here. [We] want to guarantee that we’re going to come back. That’s our goal: to get a big win tonight.”

Even though the Penguins have outscored the Islanders, 13-8, in the series, the teams are even in goals (8-8) over the last two games as Pittsburgh has struggled with the Isles’ speed and forecheck.

“It’s going to kill you,” Matt Carkner said when asked why a team wouldn’t opt to sit back and counterattack against the Penguins. “Any team in this league right now, you want to be the aggressor. You want to be aggressive but within your system. You don’t want to go full-out and exchange chances. You want to be the aggressor in every situation. You don’t want to give them time and if you sit back against these guys, they have such great players; they’re going to make plays on you. They’re going to make you look silly. So we just have to keep moving our feet and get in their faces.”

Listening to the press

Give head coach Jack Capuano credit for being honest.

The Islanders’ coach told reporters Tuesday morning he chronicles what is said and written about his team during the offseason.

“I don’t read papers, I don’t read blogs, I don’t read tweets [during the season]. I do over the summertime. People like yourselves that try to pick where teams are going to finish, I look at it,” Capuano said. “The thing about our club is we’ve matured and we believe. We have good character and good leadership. Work ethic will dictate a lot; it dictates the scoreboard.

“For us, it’s just a matter of every single guy believing in themselves and playing to the best of their abilities to give us a chance to win. I don’t know if we rallied around [preseason predictions] because from Day 1 we believed we were a good hockey team. We believed we had good players, good character, good leadership. If we played the way we wanted to play, we thought we would have success. It didn’t happen early on but it started to happen and the belief sets in even more. But I don’t think we rallied around that people didn’t pick us because it would be a distraction and we just go about our business the way we need to go about our business.”

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Sunday’s matinee was the first playoff game at Nassau Coliseum since April 18, 2007. Yet, the 16,170 that packed the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike did not need a tutorial on how to create a playoff atmosphere.

The Coliseum crowd roared throughout Game 3, and the decibel levels grew exponentially after the Islanders scored the first two goals of the game and the final two goals in regulation.

It was a reminder of the fervor Islanders fans have for their team and for a product worthy of their support.

“It was fantastic,” Tavares said. “People here are the most passionate hockey people I’ve ever seen. They have a lot of pride [and] love the tradition of the New York Islanders. We fed off that and we’re excited for them coming up in Game 4.”

More to do

The Penguins have scored 11 goals in the first three games of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

But head coach Dan Bylsma is not impressed.

“We think we can play better,” Bylsma said after the 5-4 overtime win in Game 3 Sunday afternoon.

Eight Penguins finished with at least one point, led by Sidney Crosby (three assists) and Chris Kunitz (two goals and an assist), both of whom authored three-point outings.

“We haven’t played our best,” Bylsma said. “We need to do a better job.”

For starters, Bylsma is concerned the chemistry between the team and trade-deadline acquisitions Brendan Morrow, Jarome Iginla and Douglas Murray isn’t quite there. Morrow finished with three shots on goal in 18:03 of ice time. Iginla had a goal and attempted seven shots in 17:06. Murray tallied a goal and four shot attempts in 20:43.

“There is some of that learning [how] to play together,” Iginla said. “There’s still better hockey from our team.”

Looking on the bright side

Professional sports are a bottomline business. Effort is nice, but wins and losses are the final determining factor in all decisions.

The Islanders are acutely aware of the fact they trail the top-seeded Penguins 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The Eastern Conference eighth seed is also extremely aware of what they have accomplished over the first 188:44 of the series, and specifically in the third period Sunday afternoon.

The Islanders outshot Pittsburgh 13-3, and outscored the Atlantic Division champions 2-0, in the final regulation period to force overtime.

“I think we outshot them much of the game,” John Tavares said. Tavares’s off-wing goal 10:48 into the third tied the game at 4-4. “We had a lot of puck possession, creating opportunities. We were playing physical, [and] didn’t make it easy for them. We got pucks in, got pucks to the net, moving our feet, being difficult to defend. I think we built that the last two games and we have to keep understanding those are the things that are giving us success, giving us a chance to win some games.”

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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What was lost in the euphoria surrounding the Islanders’ first playoff appearance in six years was that playoff games, by their very nature, can be painful.

It is a lesson the Islanders learned Sunday afternoon.

“We played [well]. We played a good game. We need to regroup and know that we’re playing some good hockey. We’re creating opportunities and believe in ourselves,” said John Tavares after the Islanders’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Penguins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Pittsburgh leads the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday night at the Coliseum.

Chris Kunitz’s power-play goal 8:44 into the extra session was the game-winner. Sidney Crosby drew the penalty by forcing Brain Strait to taking a holding penalty as the best player in the world curled toward Evgeni Nabokov.

For good measure, Crosby recorded the primary assist on Kunitz’s game-winner. The Penguins’ captain finished with three points — all on assists. Kunitz had two goals, and Jarome Iginla, Pascal Dupuis and Douglas Murray added one each.

“[The assists are] typical [of what] Sidney Crosby can do,” Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said. “I like [his] drawing the penalty the best.”

Yesterday’s game was only Crosby’s second in the last 16 games. He suffered a broken jaw when he was struck by a Brooks Orpik slapshot in the Penguins’ 2-0 win over the Islanders at CONSOL Energy Center on March 30

“He hasn’t played a ton of hockey. He isn’t totally there [conditioning-wise],” Bylsma said. “His play down low in the overtime period [is indicative of what he can do].”

Kunitz’s game-winner was merely the final scene of an incredible three-act play authored by the Atlantic Division rivals. The teams experienced momentum surges throughout.

The Islanders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 5:41 thanks to goals from Matt Moulson (1:43) and Casey Cizikas (5:41).

But the Islanders could not grow the lead despite pressuring a back-on-their-heels Penguins squad. Some of it was due to Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 32 saves. Some of it was a first-time playoff team making mistakes, such as Michael Grabner’s drop pass at the blue line creating an offsides.

And much of it was yielding three power-play goals. Pittsburgh was 3-for-5 with the man advantage Sunday afternoon, including the game’s first two goals which tied the game late in the first period.

“Your penalty kill obviously starts in goal and works its way out. We have a certain structure that we want to use,” Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said. “We took some wrong routes [Sunday] on our penalty kill. The entries for them were way too easy. They established zone time right away, and they were able to work the puck in the zone. When you allow that to happen, with the skill guys that they have, they’re going to take advantage of it.

“To me, when I look at the penalty kill, it’s the first eight seconds, it’s the desperation. We won some key faceoffs tonight; we never cleared the puck 200 feet. That all comes back to haunt you and that’s what happened. Execution on the PK, from a details standpoint, has to be better.”

Down 4-2 in the third, the Islanders fought back to tie the game. Kyle Okposo’s second goal of the series cut the deficit to 4-3. Tavares tied the game 5:17 later with his first of the series.

“Your best players are going to be your best players for us to have a chance,” Capuano said.

They were, but they are down 2-1 in a series that, arguably, they should be leading. Yet, rather than frustration, the Islanders feel good.

“The sun is going to come up tomorrow,” Capuano said. “It takes four to win the series.”

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman for coverage of the Islanders and Rangers throughout the playoffs.

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The Islanders vowed they would be better in Game 2 and they were.

As a result, the Islanders return home to Long Island having drawn even with the top-seeded Penguins after a come-from-behind 4-3 win Friday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at the CONSOL Energy Center.

Last night’s win was the Islanders’ first in the Stanley Cup playoffs since April 14, 2007, a span of 2,211 days.

Game 3 is Sunday afternoon at Nassau Coliseum. It will be the first playoff game contested at the Coliseum since April 18, 2007.

Even though the Penguins led 3-1 at the first intermission, the Islanders had more shots on goal (20-12) and more shot attempts (35-19). The Islanders finished with a 42-33 advantage in shots on goal and attempted more shots (79-57) as well.

There were two turning points Friday night. The first was Kyle Okposo’s second-period bout with Matt Niskanen. Okposo challenged and subsequently bloodied the Penguins defenseman after Niskanen’s open-ice hit on Matt Moulson.

Fourteen seconds after the fight, Colin McDonald’s off-angle shot slithered under Marc-Andre Fleury to cut the deficit to 3-2.

After McDonald’s goal, Matt Martin one-timed Josh Bailey’s off-the-end-boards rebound past Fleury to tie the game at 3-3 about five minutes later. It was the first of two off-the-backboard goals Fleury would yield, including Okposo’s game-winner with 7:37 left.

The other turning point came as the Islanders killed John Tavares’ four-minute minor for high-sticking Brendan Morrow spanning the final 3:29 of the second period and the first 31 seconds of the third.

Sidney Crosby, in his first game action since suffering a broken jaw in the 2-0 win over the Islanders on March 30, scored two goals and Evgeni Malkin added a marker of his own. Fleury made 38 saves.

Evgeni Nabokov was strong in Game 2, making 30 saves. Matt Moulson added a goal.

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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It had been 2,203 days since the New York Islanders competed in a Stanley Cup playoff game.

It may take that long to wipe the egg off of their faces after being thoroughly outclassed by the Penguins, 5-0, in Game 1 last night at the CONSOL Energy Center.

Game 2 is Friday night in Pittsburgh.

Not one Islander distinguished himself in the series opener against the top-seeded Penguins. Fourteen Islanders finished minus-1 or worst. The top line of Brad Boyes, John Tavares and Matt Moulson only generated 14 shot attempts. Evgeni Nabokov was pulled after yielding four goals in the series’ first 21:51.

Even more of a concern was that the Penguins spent much of the game skating with impunity.

Pascal Dupuis scored two goals, and Beau Bennett, Kris Letang and Tanner Glass each potted a marker. Nine Penguins were plus-1 or better. Ten Penguins recorded at least one point in the game.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves to earn his sixth career shutout in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

All of the offense the Penguins needed came 3:30 into the match. With Brian Strait in the box for interference, Bennett walked down the wall and cut toward the net before snapping a quick shot over Nabokov for the series’ first goal.

It was a punch to the solar plexus. And the Penguins kept pounding the Islanders’ collective body.

Dupuis sandwiched goals (13:23 of the first period and 1:51 of the second period) around Letang’s marker (1:19 of the second). Following Dupuis’ second, Jack Capuano replaced Nabokov with Kevin Poulin. Poulin stopped nine of ten shots.

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Collectively, the New York Islanders had a goal heading into the truncated 2013 NHL regular season: To be a playoff team.

They can consider it mission accomplished. The Islanders will participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

Now that the Islanders are in, though, the objective has changed. Now, it’s about making noise.

“We understand that we have to be way better to make any run in the playoffs,” Matt Martin said after the Islanders beat the Panthers, 5-2, April 16 at the Coliseum. “We’re not going to beat some of the better teams in the league in a seven-game series if we play like that.”

Success and failure are enmeshed with attention to the game’s details. For the Islanders, implementing those details will be paramount if they are to upset the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded Penguins in the best-of-seven series beginning Wednesday night at the CONSOL Energy Center.

“We’ve talked about how our team is built and how we have to play as a team,” Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said after the Islanders beat the Flyers, 4-2, April 9 at the Coliseum. “They’re buying in, not only in the framework and structure of our team but in one and other. They’ve been real good, from top to bottom.”

Pittsburgh won four of the five regular-season meetings between the two teams, outscoring the Islanders, 17-9. The Islanders only win was a 4-2 decision on Jan. 29 at CONSOL Energy Center.

The Penguins were among the most active teams at the trade deadline, adding defenseman Douglas Murray from the Sharks and wingers Brendan Morrow and Jarome Iginla from the Stars and Flames, respectively. The veteran trio added grit, depth and skill to an already-potent Penguins squad. Pittsburgh’s 3.38 goals per game average was the NHL’s best in the regular season.

By any appreciable measure, the Penguins are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. But there are reasons for the Islanders to feel confident heading into the series.

The Islanders finished the final month of the regular season with an impressive 8-1-4 mark, including wins over playoff squads Boston and Toronto.

“It’s huge,” Martin said after the win over Florida. “We’ve grown up a lot as a team.”

Among the reasons the Islanders were successful this season was their ability to play an up-tempo, forechecking game. The Islanders finished the year sixth in the NHL with a 2.81 goals per game average.

Top-line center John Tavares’ 28 goals and 47 points were third- and 10th-most in the league. He was followed by Michael Grabner (16 goals), linemates Matt Moulson and Brad Boyes (16 goals and 10 goals, respectively) and Josh Bailey (11).

“We’re playing much better,” Tavares said after the April 9 win over the Flyers. “We’re giving ourselves the best possible chance we can.

“I like our chances. We’re playing well and we have to keep building off the things we’re doing.”

This will mark the fourth time overall and the first time in 20 years the Atlantic Division rivals have met in the playoffs. The Islanders have won all three series. David Volek’s goal 5:16 into overtime of Game 7 of the 1992-93 Eastern Conference semifinal eliminated the then two-time Stanley Cup champions.

Series breakdown …

FORWARDS: These groups present an interesting matchup for a number of reasons. The Penguins have the deepest collection of skill forwards in the league, and the possibility exists that Sidney Crosby could return from a broken jaw suffered in the 2-0 win over the Islanders on March 30. The Islanders counter with Hart Trophy candidate John Tavares, linemate Matt Moulson and secondary-scorers Josh Bailey, Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo.

DEFENSE: Half of Pittsburgh’s top six defensemen — Kris Letang (broken toe, illness), Brooks Orpik (lower body) and Paul Martin (broken hand) — battled injuries in the second half of the season. So if the Islanders are to advance, look for foot soldiers Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Colin McDonald to wear them down. The Islanders have back-end playoff experience in Lubomir Visnovsky, Matt Carkner and Mark Streit.

GOALTENDING: An argument can be made that Evgeni Nabokov was just as important to the Islanders’ success this season as Tavares. Nabokov was in goal for 23 of the Islanders’ 24 wins this season, and he compiled a .910 save percentage and 2.50 GAA. Marc-Andre Fleury is the Rodney Dangerfield of goaltenders. He gets no respect, despite going 23-8-0 in the regular season. He is 12-14 with a 3.08 GAA and .682 the last three playoff seasons though.

SPECIAL TEAMS: This is a mixed bag for both teams. The Penguins (24.7 percent, second in the NHL) and Islanders (19.9 percent, tied for 10th in the league) are close to lethal with the man advantage, but both teams are below middle of the pack in penalty killing. The Islanders finished the regular season 21st on the penalty kill (80.2 percent) and Pittsburgh was 25th (79.6 percent).

PREDICTION: The Islanders talked throughout the year about taking a step forward, and they have by qualifying for the playoffs. But there is a decided difference between qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs and advancing a round. The Penguins’ depth and skill will be too much.

PENGUINS IN SIX.

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman for comprehensive coverage of the Islanders and Rangers throughout the postseason.

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1) Chicago Blackhawks (27-5-3, previous No. 2) – The Blackhawks regain the top spot since they’ve won two games in a row and most importantly, they have less injuries to key players than the Penguins. Patrick Sharp could return this week, which will only help Chicago’s NHL-best goal-differential of plus-43.

2) Pittsburgh Penguins (28-9-0, previous No. 2) – Pittsburgh’s 15-game winning streak ended on Tuesday against Buffalo but more importantly, Sidney Crosby (who would be the NHL MVP right now) is out indefinitely after breaking his jaw on Saturday. We’ll have to see how the Penguins play with newcomer Jarome Iginla in the lineup, but no Crosby.

3) Montreal Canadiens (23-7-5, previous No. 4) – The Habs didn’t make any real moves at the trade deadline which signifies confidence in their current group. They’ve won their last three games and they are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Montreal is 2-1 against Boston this season and they have a chance to wrap up the season series on Saturday at the Bell Centre vs. the Bruins.

4) Anaheim Ducks (24-7-5, previous No. 3) – The Ducks haven’t been themselves lately (4-4-2 in their last 10 games), or perhaps they are finally regressing to the mean after an incredible start. The Ducks begin a five-game homestand tonight (tied for their longest of the season) which is bizarre since they played Dallas on Monday then they play them Wednesday and Friday (three games in a row).

5) Boston Bruins (23-8-4, previous No. 5) – Other than Iginla and Marion Gaborik, the B’s made probably the biggest acquisition of the trade deadline by getting Jaromir Jagr. After playing listlessly for a few weeks, they’ve won their last two games thanks to backup goaltender Anton Khudobin, who earned back-to-back starts (allowing two combined goals). Their concern is Patrice Bergeron’s health after the do-everything center left Tuesday’s game with a possible concussion.

6) Minnesota Wild (21-12-2, previous No. 6) – The Wild are in a dogfight for home ice with Vancouver but they made a nice move by trading for Buffalo captain Jason Pominville (10 goals, 15 assists) before the deadline. He should help create more balance between their lines that are very top heavy.

7) Vancouver Canucks (19-11-6, previous No. 7) – The Canucks were another winner from the trade deadline since they got Derek Roy (18 assists) from the Stars for a prospect and second-round draft pick. Vancouver tried to flip Roberto Luongo to Toronto but his albatross of a contract held them back from getting it done.

8) Los Angeles Kings (20-13-3, previous No. 10) – The Kings obtained defenseman Robin Regehr from the Sabres but other than that, the defending Stanley Cup champs are healthy and still loaded with talent. Thanks to Jeff Carter (20 goals, 4th in NHL), the Kings have scored more goals (104) than expected.

9) Toronto Maple Leafs (20-12-4, previous No. 12) – Toronto has won its last three games but it is weird that they didn’t make any moves at the trade deadline since their situation in goal is still muddled at best. It looks like they’ll make the playoffs which is a big deal for them, but advancing is another story.

10) San Jose Sharks (18-11-6, previously No. 14) – The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL with five straight wins. It has taken them this long, but they have finally started to live up to their abilities – although it is interesting that they traded one of their emotional leaders, Ryane Clowe, to the Rangers for draft picks.

11) Ottawa Senators (18-11-6, previous No. 8) – If the Senators make the playoffs, they have to hope they don’t play the Bruins. Boston has won all four games against Ottawa this season (they meet once more) and making that more painful, they have all been by one goal. Craig Anderson is close to returning which is why they flipped backup goaltender Ben Bishop to Buffalo for rookie winger Cory Conacher.

12) Detroit Red Wings (18-13-5, previous No. 9) – The Red Wings didn’t make a single trade around the deadline which is interesting since this underachieving team hasn’t played nearly well enough to earn that respect. They are the only team currently in the top eight in the West without a positive goal-differential (zero).

13) New York Islanders (18-13-6, previous No. 19) – Nobody could have imagined this, and we’re still four weeks away from the playoffs, but at this moment the Islanders are the best team in the New York area (Islanders, Rangers, Devils and Sabres). Their next three games are against teams outside the top eight in the East: Washington, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia so they need to rack up the points there.

14) St. Louis Blues (18-14-2, previous No. 13) – Now that the Sharks have gained their skating legs, the Blues have to be called the most underachieving team in the West. Still, they are hanging on to the eighth spot so they haven’t been a complete train wreck. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who they obtained from Calgary, should help them right away.

15) Edmonton Oilers (15-13-7, previously not ranked) – People have been waiting for years and it looks like the Oilers have finally put together enough good players to get to the playoffs. They have their work cut out for them since the West is better than the East but they’ve won their last four games and are playing well when it counts.

16) New Jersey Devils (15-12-9, previous No. 16) – The Islanders, Devils and Rangers are likely battling for the last two spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Of those, I like the New York teams better since New Jersey is treading water (3-3-4 in last 10 games) and their goal-differential is minus-11.

17) Nashville Predators (15-14-8, previously No. 17) – Pekka Rinne isn’t himself, although it’s not all his fault since the Predators are one of the lowest scoring teams in the West with 92 goals. Getting a goal-scorer seemed obvious at the deadline but apparently the front office felt otherwise.

18) Columbus Blue Jackets (15-14-7, previous No. 20) – The race for the eighth seed in the West is going to be one of the NHL’s best heading into the postseason and the Blue Jackets honestly have a decent chance to make it. The lowest scoring team (87 goals) in the West should receive a huge boost from Marion Gaborik (9 goals, 10 assists) who was having a poor season with the Rangers but he scored 41 goals last season and 40-plus two other times in the NHL.

19) New York Rangers (17-15-3, previous No. 15) – I have no idea why the Rangers traded their best goal-scorer when they have scored the fewest goals in the NHL (82) … and if they miss the playoffs, that will be the main reason why. Forwards Derick Brassard (7 goals) and Derek Dorsett (3 goals) along with defenseman John Moore (zero goals) better fit their trapping defensive style, but none of them can put the puck in the net.

20) Winnipeg Jets (18-18-2, previous No. 2) – The Jets are free-falling and they are only two points ahead of the Capitals for first place in the Southeast Division after losing four straight games. They are 3-7-0 with a goal-differential of minus-22 … not the resume of a playoff team in anybody’s eyes.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter: @RichSlate

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One game does not a season make. But one game could portend a good final month of the truncated season.

The Rangers played their most complete game of the season in beating the Penguins, 6-1, Wednesday night at the Garden. With the win, the Rangers jumped from ninth in the East to seventh. All three local teams are tied with 39 points.

“I think this was the best game we could have played following a huge win for us [Monday night] against Winnipeg,” Dan Girardi said. “We need to come back with a huge effort. I think from the get-go we were ready to play. I think that was a very complete game for us.

“It felt kind of like we were last year. We come out knowing we’re going to win games.”

Hours after organizational decision-makers overhauled the team by trading Marian Gaborik and two prospects to Columbus for Derek Dorsett, Derick Brassard and John Moore, the Rangers continually pressured the shorthanded Penguins while allowing head coach John Tortorella to roll four lines.

“I felt more comfortable about it. I was looking for certain matches along the way. When you’re not chasing a game all the time, it changes the complexion a little bit,” Tortorella said. “[Asham] did some good things. I think you have Ash, you have Clowe, maybe Dorsett gets in on that, you’re not all alone out there in that type of role. And I think you can feel more comfortable in that.”

Brassard and Brian Boyle each finished with four points. Fellow newcomer Ryane Clowe had a three-point night, while Brad Richards had two assists in his best game of the year. Eight Rangers were plus-1 or better, led by Clowe and Mats Zuccarello, both of whom were plus-2.

Clowe scored his first two goals of the season, while Boyle, Brassard, Moore and Ryan McDonagh added one each.

The Rangers won the game for all intents and purposes in an opening period that was their best of the season. Boyle opened the scoring 10:01 into the first with a deflection of Richards’s point shot. McDonagh potted the game-winner just 2:18 later with a one-timer off a Richards feed over Marc-Andre Fleury’s glove. Clowe scored his first of the game two minutes later.

“We didn’t want to wait this long to have these [offensive] games,” McDonagh said.

Brassard increased the lead to 4-0 just 1:53 into the second period with a power play backhander. Clowe pushed the advantage to 5-1 with a goal line stuff on the power play.

The specialty teams contributed in as the power play went 3-for-4, while the man-down unit killed the Pens’ only man-advantage opportunity. The three power-play goals were the most since April 3, 2012.

“The power play was the best we’ve seen all year,” Richards said. “If we can keep that going, that’s huge. That’s what it’s going to come down to when games get tight. Special teams [are] everything.”

Pascal Dupuis scored Pittsburgh’s only goal. Dupuis’s 18th of the season was Henrik Lundqvist’s lone blemish on a night in which he faced just 27 shots. Fleury allowed all six goals on 39 shots.

The win ended a seven-game losing streak to Pittsburgh.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Records through March 27

1) Pittsburgh Penguins (26-8-0, previous No. 3) – It’s hard to have a much better week than the Penguins. They are riding a 13-game win streak and they’ve acquired Brendan Morrow, Jarome Iginla and Douglas Murray. The only things to worry about for them is the health of Marc-Andre Fleury (who left Tuesday’s game) and Kris Letang who went back on IR after returning for a game.

2) Chicago Blackhawks (25-4-3, previous No. 1) – No longer on their epic win streak, the focus and pressure has been taken off the Blackhawks. Chicago has an NHL-best goal-differential of plus-37 while they have the best home record (12-2-1) and road record (13-2-2).

3) Anaheim Ducks (22-7-4, previous No. 2) – There is bad news in Disneyland as the Ducks have lost four games in a row, twice to Detroit and twice to San Jose. The surprising part is that the first three were at the Honda Center where the Ducks were 13-1-0. Anaheim scored one goal in each game against the Red Wings and were blanked by the Sharks on Wednesday, shocking for a team that has scored the second most goals in the Western Conference (104).

4) Montreal Canadiens (21-7-5, previous No. 4) – The Canadiens proved their resiliency by rallying twice in the third period  in Boston on Wednesday. This was after pulled Carey Price after the second period plus lost 1-0 in Pittsburgh the night before. Montreal and Boston will have a great battle for first place in the Northeast Division.

5) Boston Bruins (21-7-4, previous No. 5) – The B’s are understandably reeling after a brutal loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday followed by them losing out on the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes when it looked to be a done deal that he’d joined the spoked ‘B.’ Boston gets two days without a game for the first time in over a month which should do wonders for the banged up team that’s currently missing three regulars (Chris Kelly, Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk).

6) Minnesota Wild (20-10-2, previous No. 7) – The Penguins understandably are getting most of the publicity but the Wild are the hottest team in the Western Conference, having won their last seven games in a row. Minnesota is 9-1-0 in their last 10 games and 12-3-1 at the Xcel Energy Center. The crazy part is that a team that is so reliant on its top lines has scored 90 goals.

7) Vancouver Canucks (18-9-6, previous No. 12) – Similar to the Wild, the Canucks have really found their game in the last few weeks. They’ve won five straight games to tie Minnesota atop the Northwest Division. Vancouver is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and 9-4-3 on the road which are both good trends

8) Ottawa Senators (18-9-6, previous No. 8) – Head coach Paul MacLean and his comical moustache is close to wrapping up the NHL coach of the year award with this remarkable run his team has turned in. They might not do anything in the playoffs but with 15 games left in the regular season, they look like a lock to make it (barring a major collapse) which for them is still very impressive.

9) Detroit Red Wings (17-11-5, previous No. 11) – The Red Wings began their four-game road trip with two excellent wins in Anaheim then they won in Phoenix last night. If they can grab two points in San Jose tonight, you’ll know that the Red Wings are truly back after a uncharacteristically slow start to the season. The ironic part was that Detroit was under .500 (5-6-2) on the road before the trip.

10) Los Angeles Kings (18-12-2, previously No. 6) – It was a strange week for the Kings who lost two in a row at home, where they are great (12-4-1) but then won 5-4 at Chicago on Monday. They are 6-8-1 on the road this season but that victory against the NHL’s best team could go a long way to giving them confidence during the stretch run.

11) Winnipeg Jets (18-14-2, previous No. 13) – Up six points now on Carolina and seven ahead of Washington, the surprising Jets are in good shape for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and 10-6-2 on the road this season which are good signs, unlike their goal-differential of -11 which is the worst mark of any team in the top eight of either conference.

12) Toronto Maple Leafs (18-12-4, previous No. 15) – The Leafs are treading water (3-3-4 in their last 10 games) but they are still in good shape to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years which in Canada is magnified tenfold. Toronto has identical 9-6-2 records at Air Canada Centre and on the road but they are 0-4 in shootouts. Good news for them is that if they make the postseason, they won’t face a shootout.

13) St. Louis Blues (17-13-2, previous No. 9) – The Blues have lost their last two games to drop into seventh place in the Western Conference. Anything can happen in the NHL playoffs as we see every spring but St. Louis really doesn’t want to face Chicago or Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs. Their next three games are really tough: vs. Kings, at Wild and at Blackhawks.

14) San Jose Sharks (14-12-2, previous No. 17) – The Sharks are hanging on for dear life to the eighth seed in the Western Conference but they are coming off their best two wins of the season: sweeping a home-and-home series with Anaheim. It’ll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline (April 3), they’ve already shipped defenseman Douglas Murray to Pittsburgh.

15) New York Rangers (16-13-3, previous No. 14) – If they make the playoffs, the Rangers are still a team that nobody in the Eastern Conference wants to face since their games always tend to be such physical grinds. New York’s margin for error is so small since they’ve scored a conference-low 78 goals. Up next, they play the three Eastern Conference Canadian teams (Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg) who would all be in the postseason if it started today.

16) New Jersey Devils (15-11-7, previous No. 16) – Ilya Kovalchuk is out with a shoulder injury for 2-4 weeks which means the Devils could drop out of the playoff picture if they’re not careful. This team hasn’t had any luck this season since Kovalchuk’s injury followed quickly in the footsteps of Martin Brodeur’s injury. Getting back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight year seems highly unlikely.

17) Nashville Predators (14-13-6, previously No. 13) – The Predators haven’t been themselves for most of the season but they are turning it on (3 consecutive wins) when it matters most. Nashville needs to a find a way to win more on the road (5-11-2) since they are fine at home (9-2-4), otherwise they could miss the playoffs.

18) New York Islanders (15-15-3, previous No. 19) – One of the sneaky storylines in the NHL is that the Islanders have a decent chance to make the playoffs which would be a huge accomplishment for them. They’ve won their last two games and they are excellent on the road (9-4-1). Now they have to win at dumpy Nassau Coliseum (6-11-2).

19) Dallas Stars (15-14-3, previously not ranked) – You can certainly question Dallas’ desire to make the playoffs this season as they traded winger Brendan Morrow to Pittsburgh but they are only three points out of the eighth seed so like it or not, they will be a factor in who makes it. PS why is that franchise still there?

20) Columbus Blue Jackets (13-13-7, previous No. 20) – The Blue Jackets lost a heartbreaker, 1-0 in a shootout at Vancouver, on Tuesday but one of the worst road teams in the NHL (3-9-2) has a good chance to bounce back. They are in Edmonton on Thursday and Calgary on Friday, two of the worst teams in the Western Conference that aren’t going anywhere this season. If Columbus is serious about make the playoffs, they need more points on this trip.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter @RichSlate

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Records through March 11

1. Chicago Blackhawks (21-2-3, previous No. 1) – Somewhere the ’72 Miami Dolphins popped champagne when the Blackhawks went down 6-2 to the Avalanche on Friday, snapping their unbeaten in regulation streak at 24 games (half the regular season). Oh wait, wrong sport. Seriously though, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chicago come back to Earth somewhat as they also lost 6-5 to the Oilers on Sunday.

2. Anaheim Ducks (18-3-3, previous No. 2) – Don’t look now but the Ducks are only six points (three wins) behind the Blackhawks. Given Chicago’s injuries at the moment, I might even like Anaheim’s chances against them in the playoffs. However, we’re still a month and a half away from that so no need to make rash judgments.

3. Boston Bruins (17-3-3, previous No. 4) – The B’s and Canadiens are in a virtual dead heat. They have even split their first two games (with both winning on the road). The only thing that separates them is that Boston has played three games less than Montreal and the Habs only have one more point. It feels like they’re building to another epic playoff series this spring. Wouldn’t that be great?

4. Montreal Canadiens (17-5-4, previous No. 3) The Canadiens have won three games in a row and they are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games. Their goal-differential is plus-18 and they are 9-2-2 on the road. The Bruins might jump them this week since they have five games and the Canadiens only play twice. Winger Michael Ryder (two goals, seven assists) has been solid in his seven games back in a Montreal uniform.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins (18-8-0, previous No. 5) – The Penguins are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference – they have won five games in a row entering Tuesday night’s showdown with Boston in Pittsburgh. It’s a huge week for the Penguins since they play four current playoff teams: Toronto, Rangers and Bruins (twice). We’ll see what kind of shape Pittsburgh is in next week after that gauntlet.

6. Los Angeles Kings (14-8-2, previous No. 9) – The defending Stanley Cup champs are the hottest team in the Western Conference: they are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games and 9-2-1 at the Staples Center. Their formula of great goaltending from Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier, plus plenty of goals from Jeff Carter (17 goals, second in the NHL) has been working wonders.

7. Carolina Hurricanes (14-9-1, previous No. 10) – One team was added to the higher rung this week (Kings) but just like last week, after the top teams the drop-off to the mid-level teams is enormous. The Hurricanes have stayed afloat thanks to Alexander Semin’s 19 assists (sixth best in the NHL). They can put some more distance between themselves, Tampa Bay and Washington this week since they play the Capitals twice and the Lightning once.

8. Minnesota Wild (13-9-2, previous No. 14) – The Wild have played well lately (7-3-0) and they’ve been great at home all season (9-2-1). Their goal-differential of minus-1 and road record (4-7-1) say that they are frauds, but they also reside in the Western Conference’s worst division: Northwest. Minnesota has taken advantage of Vancouver’s inconsistent start.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (15-10-1, previous No. 7) – The Leafs have receded to their more fitting level as they’ve hit a tougher portion of their schedule. They are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games but they play the Jets twice this week, sandwiched around a game with the Penguins, so they need to get points against Winnipeg. The Maple Leafs are 9-5-0 on the road, where they’ve played two more games than at home so far.

10. Ottawa Senators (13-8-5, previously No. 11) – If there was an award for playing hard, the Senators would be a runaway favorite. Unfortunately, this isn’t Little League. Ottawa is getting the most out of its limited roster at the moment but the Sens have trouble when facing the more talented teams that can wear them down. Blowing a 2-0 lead at home to the Bruins on Monday couldn’t have made them feel too good about themselves either.

11. Detroit Red Wings (12-9-5, previous No. 19) – Honestly, the Red Wings didn’t do anything specifically to make this big of a jump from last week. But then again, they are playing a tad better than the rest of the teams are at their same level. Detroit is 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and as always, they excel at home: 9-4-3. Figuring out how to win on the road (3-5-2) is the next step for them to take.

12. New York Rangers (13-9-2, previous No. 17) – The Rangers have clawed back into contention, playing their unique style of ugly, defensive hockey. Rick Nash (five goals, four assists) has been on fire in his last five games and has proven to be ready for the bright lights of New York City after toiling for years in Columbus. The Rangers can fatten up on the Sabres and Jets before facing the Penguins on Saturday in Pittsburgh.

13. San Jose Sharks (11-7-6, previous No. 12) – The Sharks have lost an NHL-high (tied with Vancouver) six games in overtime and they are 4-3 in shootouts this season. That seems like a risky proposition that is bound to catch up to them if they keep playing so many extra sessions. They are one of the more mercurial teams in the NHL since they are 7-1-4 at home but 4-6-2 on the road, plus they’ve lost their last two games (both in overtime).

14. Vancouver Canucks (11-7-6, previous No. 6) – Another team that is spinning its wheels and should be playing much better than they currently are. The Canucks are 3-4-3 in their last 10 games and are 2-5 in shootouts. It might be time for them to shake things up with a roster that has been basically the same for years.

15. St. Louis Blues (13-10-2, previous No. 13) – Speaking of underachievers, the Blues are a squad that look better on paper than they do on the ice. They are 8-5-1 on the road ,which is promising, and have played three less games at home, but they are 5-5-1 there so that has to improve if they want to get anywhere.

16. New Jersey Devils (12-9-5, previous No. 15) – The Devils would have dropped more, if only there were fewer middling teams just like them. They are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games but they are still in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, mostly because the teams on the outside-looking-in are hopeless. Martin Brodeur can’t return soon enough since Johan Hedberg (4-7-2) has been terrible since taking over as the starter.

17. Phoenix Coyotes (12-10-3, previously No. 8) – It’s not that they have struggled that much lately or that I overrated them, it’s more that their division (Pacific) is the toughest in the NHL with four points between the second-place and fifth-place teams. It will probably be that way for the rest of the season since only Los Angeles (first in Pacific) is a notch above the rest.

18. Dallas Stars (12-10-2, previous No. 18) – The Stars continue to hang around which is probably the best-case scenario for them this season. Their goal-differential is 0 and they are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games – it doesn’t get much more average than that.

19. Nashville Predators (10-9-6, previous No. 20) – The Predators put their two most talented forwards on IR Monday in Colin Wilson and Patric Hornqvist, which certainly doesn’t help a team that has still scored the fewest goals in the NHL (54, 31 less than Chicago and Anaheim). Pekka Rinne’s (9-8-5, 4 shutouts-best in the NHL) margin for error is smaller than any other goaltender in the NHL.

20. Winnipeg Jets (12-11-2, previously not ranked) – By virtue of being the only other team in the NHL over .500, the Jets make these rankings pretty much based solely on that. They are 8-5-2 on the road (they must be excited to get out of Winnipeg) and 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Still, their goal-differential of minus-11 leaves something to be desired.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter: @RichSlate

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