The Islanders, with two games remaining, still can finish anywhere from first to fourth in the Metropolitan Division. If teams are tied in points, the first NHL playoff tiebreaker is ROW (regulation or overtime wins, excluding shootouts). The second tiebreaker is head-to-head results. The third tiebreaker is the better goal differential between the teams. To guarantee finishing first, the Islanders must win both of their remaining games either in regulation or overtime while the Capitals can only gain one of their possible four points remaining. Here’s how the top four teams in the division stand as of Wednesday: 1. Capitals (47-25-8, 102 points, 43 ROW, plus-31 goal differential) Games remaining: Host Canadiens on Thursday and Islanders on Saturday 2. Islanders (46-27-7, 99 points, 42 ROW, plus-28 goal differential) Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Games remaining: At Florida on Thursday and at Washington on Saturday 3. Penguins (43-26-11, 97 points, 41 ROW, plus-30 goal differential) Games remaining: Host Red Wings on Thursday and Rangers on Saturday 4. Hurricanes (44-29-7, 95 points, 42 ROW, plus-19 goal differential) Games remaining: Host Devils on Thursday and at Philadelphia on Saturday. Islanders’ head-to-head record with those three opponents: Capitals – 1-2-0 (one game remaining) Penguins – Each team 2-1-1 with one shootout victory Hurricanes – 3-1-0 (one overtime victory)<doc-sep>UPDATE 10:30 a.m.: The NHL has announced the Round One playoff schedule. Game 2 will be Friday night. The couch-surfing New York Islanders are in the playoffs but their temporary home is booked next weekend. New York and the Pittsburgh Penguins will begin the 2018-19 playoffs this week, but the logistics could become less than ideal as cartoon characters apparently rented the barn for the entire weekend before anyone considered the Islanders would make the playoffs. A live show of Disney Channel animation PJ Masks will fill the Nassau County Coliseum Friday night, for three shows on Saturday and one Sunday afternoon, which could push the NHL into creative booking. The NHL has billed the beginning of the playoffs as Wednesday, April 10. So, the league will have a few choices regarding Game 2 for the Penguins and Islanders: –Play Game 1 Wednesday, force the arena to cancel PJ Masks on Friday night and risk the wrath of thousands of Long Island mothers. –Play Game 1 Thursday and try to squeeze Game 2 on Sunday night. That would make for a great ice surface, wouldn’t it? –Play Game 1 Wednesday and go back-to-back with Game 2 on Thursday. Or, the NHL could feature the Penguins and Islanders as the lone game on Tuesday night to begin the playoffs, one day early. That is, of course, if the Dodgeball Regional Qualifying Tournament and Grammar Jamboree hasn’t already rented the building. There was some scuttle around PPG Paints Arena the Tuesday solution could happen. The NHL will announce the playoff schedule Sunday. The Penguins secured third place in the Metro Division by virtue of gaining a point in their 4-3 OT loss to the New York Rangers, Saturday night. The Islanders shutout Washington 3-0 to clinch second place. In an NHL only twist, both the Penguins and Islanders were 2-1-1 against each other because each team won and lost in a shootout. The teams have not played since Dec. 10, which is well before the Penguins February trade acquisitions of Nick Bjugstad, Jared McCann, and Erik Gudbranson. The Penguins won the Dec. 10 meeting, 2-1 in a shootout.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — The Islanders took the safest path to securing home-ice advantage in their upcoming first-round playoff series against the Penguins, one that was symbolic of their historic defensive turnaround this season. Needing only a point in their regular-season finale against the Capitals on Saturday night at Capital One Arena, the Islanders got two in a 3-0 win. “It’s going to be really fun,” said goalie Robin Lehner, who made 29 saves to extend his career high with his sixth shutout. “We really wanted home ice. We’ve seen how special the Coliseum has been and the fans. It’s going to be a good series. They’re a good team. It’s going to be a good challenge. If we stick to our game, I like our chances.” It’s the first time since 1988 that the Islanders will have home-ice advantage for a series. First-round playoff games will be played at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum; all subsequent rounds would be at Barclays Center. The NHL playoffs will open Wednesday and the full schedule will be released Sunday. The Islanders will play Games 1 and 2 — and 5 and 7, if necessary — at the venerable barn, which most recently hosted a playoff game in 2015. “It’s huge,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “The Coliseum gets rocking and, come playoffs, it’s going to be another level. To have that, and our advantage, is huge.” Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Third-line center Valtteri Filppula, back in the lineup after missing eight games with a hyperextended left elbow, scored twice for the Islanders (48-27-7). They finished in second place with 103 points, the franchise’s most since 1984, which was the last time they went to the Stanley Cup Final. Pheonix Copley made 18 saves for the Capitals (48-26-8), who clinched first place on Thursday night and rested key regulars John Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie. “We talked about it before the game. Let’s not cheat our teammates; let’s not cheat the process,” said Islanders coach Barry Trotz, who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup last season. “We wanted to go the distance. We wanted to play the right way the whole year and not worry about the results. The results will come.” Though they lost in overtime to the Rangers, 4-3, the Penguins locked up third place when they earned a point by forcing the OT. The Hurricanes were looking to move ahead of the Penguins but fell one point short despite a 4-3 win over the Flyers. The Capitals will play the Hurricanes. That winner will face the winner of the Islanders-Penguins series in the division final. The Islanders relied on the stifling defense that has fueled their turnaround after they allowed 293 goals last season, the most in the NHL since 2007. Lehner, the likely Game 1 starter, and Thomas Greiss will share the Jennings Trophy as the Islanders allowed a league-low 196 goals. The Islanders are the first team since the Ottawa Senators in 1918-19 to go from worst to first in that category. “We didn’t start cheating,” Pulock said. “We just stuck with it.” Filppula gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 2:55 of the second period on a breakaway after being sprung by defenseman Devon Toews. He then got to the crease and redirected defenseman Adam Pelech’s feed to make it 2-0 at 10:54 of the third period. Matt Martin added an empty-netter at 17:27. “It’s been a fun year so far,” said Lehner, now sober and healthy after battling addiction and mental-health issues. “It’s been a long season, but it’s a heck of a group in here and it’s helped me. It’s going to be really fun going into the playoffs. It’s been a roller-coaster year.”<doc-sep>Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The Tampa Bay Lightning are clear favorites to win the 2019 Stanley Cup, per Vegas Insider, but 15 other teams have different ideas as the NHL playoffs begin on Wednesday. Games will be televised on NBC, NBC Sports, CNBC, USA Network, NHL Network, Sportsnet networks and CBC. NHL Bracket Eastern Conference Tampa Bay Lightning (No. 1, Atlantic) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (No. 2, Wild Card) Boston Bruins (No. 2, Atlantic) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (No. 3, Atlantic) Washington Capitals (No. 1, Metropolitan) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (No. 1, Wild Card) New York Islanders (No. 2, Metropolitan) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 3, Metropolitan) Western Conference Calgary Flames (No. 1, Pacific) vs. Colorado Avalanche (No. 2, Wild Card) Video Play Button Videos you might like San Jose Sharks (No. 2, Pacific) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (No. 3, Pacific) Nashville Predators (No. 1, Central) vs. Dallas Stars (No. 1, Wild Card) Winnipeg Jets (No. 2, Central) vs. St. Louis Blues (No. 3, Central) First-Round Schedule and Television Information (All Times Eastern) Eastern Conference: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Game 1: Blue Jackets at Lightning at 7 p.m. on USA Game 2: Blue Jackets at Lightning at 7 p.m. on CNBC Game 3: Lightning at Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. on NBCSN Game 4: Lightning at Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. on CNBC *Game 5: Blue Jackets at Lightning at TBD *Game 6: Lightning at Blue Jackets at TBD *Game 7: Blue Jackets at Lightning at TBD *If necessary Eastern Conference: Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Game 1: Maple Leafs at Bruins at 7 p.m. on NBCSN Game 2: Maple Leafs at Bruins at 8 p.m. on NBC Game 3: Bruins at Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. on CBC Game 4: Bruins at Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. on CBC *Game 5: Maple Leafs at Bruins at TBD *Game 6: Bruins at Maple Leafs at TBD *Game 7: Maple Leafs at Bruins at TBD Eastern Conference: Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 1: Hurricanes at Capitals at 7:30 p.m. on USA Game 2: Hurricanes at Capitals at 3 p.m. on NBC Game 3: Capitals at Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on CNBC Game 4: Capitals at Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on SN360 *Game 5: Hurricanes at Capitals at TBD *Game 6: Capitals at Hurricanes at TBD *Game 7: Hurricanes at Capitals at TBD Eastern Conference: New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Game 1: Penguins at Islanders at 7:30 p.m. on NBCSN Game 2: Penguins at Islanders at 7:30 p.m. on NBCSN Game 3: Islanders at Penguins at 12 p.m. on NBC Game 4: Islanders at Penguins at 7:30 p.m. on NBCSN *Game 5: Penguins at Islanders at TBD *Game 6: Islanders at Penguins at TBD *Game 7: Penguins at Islanders at TBD Western Conference: Calgary Flames vs. Colorado Avalanche Game 1: Avalanche at Flames at 10 p.m. on SN Game 2: Avalanche at Flames at 10:30 p.m. on SN Game 3: Flames at Avalanche at 10 p.m. on CNBC Game 4: Flames at Avalanche at 10 p.m. on NBCSN *Game 5: Avalanche at Flames at TBD *Game 6: Flames at Avalanche at TBD *Game 7: Avalanche at Flames at TBD Western Conference: San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights Game 1: Golden Knights at Sharks at 10:30 p.m. on NBCSN Game 2: Golden Knights at Sharks at 10:30 p.m. on NBCSN Game 3: Sharks at Golden Knights at 10 p.m. on NBCSN Game 4: Sharks at Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m. on NBCSN *Game 5: Golden Knights at Sharks at TBD *Game 6: Sharks at Golden Knights at TBD *Game 7: Golden Knights at Sharks at TBD Western Conference: Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars Game 1: Stars at Predators at 9:30 p.m. on USA Game 2: Stars at Predators at 6 p.m. on CNBC Game 3: Predators at Stars at 9:30 p.m. on NBCSN Game 4: Predators at Stars at 8 p.m. on USA *Game 5: Stars at Predators at TBD *Game 6: Predators at Stars at TBD *Game 7: Stars at Predators at TBD Western Conference: Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues Game 1: Blues at Jets at 8 p.m. on SN Game 2: Blues at Jets at 9:30 p.m. on SN Game 3: Jets at Blues at 7:30 p.m. on CNBC Game 4: Jets at Blues at 9:30 p.m. on CNBC *Game 5: Blues at Jets at TBD *Game 6: Jets at Blues at TBD *Game 7: Blues at Jets at TBD Storylines to Watch Can Anyone Beat the Lightning? The Lightning had a legitimate chance to upend the legendary 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens for the most points in league history but fell just short with 128. They did tie the regular-season record for most wins (62). Tampa Bay is still the clear favorite to win it all, however, thanks to one of the best rosters the sport has seen in years. Right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the league in assists (86) and points (128). Steven Stamkos scored a team-leading 45 goals. Six Lightning players are in the top 25 in plus-minus, led by defenseman Ryan McDonagh at plus-38, good enough for second in the league. Tampa Bay lost two games in a row just twice and haven't done so since Feb. 7. The Lightning also have four win streaks of seven games or more and don't have a losing record against any Eastern Conference team. Their regular-season dominance doesn't necessarily foreshadow a Stanley Cup win: the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings went 62-13-7 and lost in the Western Conference semifinal, for instance. However, it will be very difficult for any team to knock off Tampa Bay in a seven-game series. The Scorching-Hot St. Louis Blues At the midway point of the season, the St. Louis Blues were 17-20-4 and well on their way to a postseason on the couch. Their fortunes have changed quickly, however, thanks in part to an 11-game win streak that brought them back to relevance. St. Louis scuffled through a 4-4-2 span late in the season, but the Blues have since rebounded and gone 8-1-2 to close the season.<doc-sep>
SUNRISE, Fla. — The playoff picture became clearer for the Islanders on Thursday night. After a 2-1 win over the Panthers in a four-round shootout at BB&T Center, they still can finish either second or third in the Metropolitan Division and will face either the Penguins or the Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. The Capitals clinched the division title with a 2-1 win over the visiting Canadiens on Thursday night. The Islanders, headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, will end their season at Washington on Saturday and can clinch home-ice advantage in the first round — regardless of what the Penguins do against the Rangers — by earning one point. “It would have been fun to play Saturday for the division,” Mathew Barzal said. “For it to be this tight all season, it was a fun race. Washington is one of the best teams in the league, if not Stanley Cup favorites. For us to be in the hunt with them is a credit to how good our season has been.” The Islanders (47-27-7) remain two points ahead of the Penguins, who beat the visiting Red Wings, 4-1, on Thursday night. The Isles and Penguins are tied in ROW wins with 42 and are tied in the season series, but Pittsburgh would have the advantage if the tiebreaker went to goal differential. The Hurricanes are four points behind the Islanders after a 3-1 win over the visiting Devils but still can beat out the Penguins for third place. Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. The Islanders-Capitals and Rangers-Penguins games both will start at 7 p.m. Saturday. If the Rangers beat the Penguins, even in overtime or a shootout, the Islanders could lose in regulation and still finish second. “Having that first round back at the Coliseum, the atmosphere there is second to none,” said Brock Nelson, who gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead in the second period and scored the lone goal in the shootout. “We want to secure that and we want to take advantage of that. It’s only for one round, so we’d like to have home ice for that.” The Islanders will play subsequent rounds at Barclays Center. The NHL playoffs will open on Wednesday. The Islanders haven’t had home-ice advantage for a playoff series since 1988, which was the last time they finished first in their division, and they entered Thursday with the possibility of finishing anywhere from first to fourth in the division. “We didn’t want to fall to a wild-card position,” Barry Trotz said. “We still wanted to have that hope that we can battle the last game with Washington, but we’ve still got something to play for. That’s good for our group to learn to play for something. It’s easy to play for nothing.” If the Panthers were playing loose, they kept the game against the Islanders tight. Thomas Greiss made 29 saves for the Islanders. The Panthers (36-32-13) finally tied the score at 1-1 at 12:45 of the third period as Keith Yandle sprung Jonathan Huberdeau for a power-play goal with defenseman Thomas Hickey in the penalty box for the second time in the game. Goalie Sam Montembeault (35 saves) had the secondary assist. Nelson’s one-timer from the slot off Michael Dal Colle’s feed from the left boards gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 1:50 of the second period. The Islanders outshot the Panthers 17-4 in the first period, though they had few quality chances. But they needed a video review to overturn Aleksander Barkov’s apparent tip-in goal at the buzzer as they escaped a brutal last-minute sequence. Jordan Eberle turned the puck over and the Islanders then couldn’t clear their zone, leading to Huberdeau’s slap shot off the crossbar at 19:57.