Anders Lee and the Recent York Islanders are in contention for the Stanley Cup Playoffs right now. Star rookie Matthew Schaefer has had a serious impact on the Islanders’ success this season, and the vibes overall have been extremely positive. Unfortunately, though, the team has recently hit a rough patch. And it has resulted within the team falling below the playoff cutline.
The Islanders were decimated by the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. Schaefer scored a goal, and Recent York did have the lead at one point. But a Cole Caufield hat trick helped the Habs skate to a needed 7-3 victory. After the sport, Lee provided his thoughts on the loss, defending his team’s effort in the method.
“The opposite night, it was more of too many battles that were lost. Tonight, they made plays through us. We had a pair missed assignments. I would not say it was an effort problem,” the Islanders captain said, via NHL.com’s Stefan Rosner, alluding to a previous loss to the Ottawa Senators.
As things stand, the Islanders are still well inside contention for the postseason. Recent York is one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for the ultimate Wild Card berth within the Eastern Conference. Moreover, they’re only two points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot.
Nevertheless, Recent York has lost five of its last nine games. They need to search out ways to string together wins more consistently in the event that they need to compete on this frantic postseason race. Thankfully, they’ve a likelihood to bounce back on Sunday after they face the Blue Jackets in a must-win game for each side.