New York Islanders desperately needing victory as they play against New York Rangers – NHL Preview
New York Islanders are still pretty far away from reaching the comfort zone, which will eventually provide them some respite and an entry into the playoffs, and considering their recent performance it cannot be determined how long will they stay in the present
phase of uncertainty.
To be among the top eight teams of National Hockey League (NHL) Eastern Conference, Islanders will have to overcome many obstacles, which continue to grow strong with every unsuccessful match Islanders play.
From now on, the road is not going be any easier for Islanders and if they want to reach the playoffs, they have to secure victories, starting from New York Rangers on Friday, February 24, 2012, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York.
On the other hand, Rangers, who are regressing very slightly, might get a good opportunity to get back to winning ways as they prepare to play against Islanders.
Here is a look at both the teams.
Islanders
Islanders are ranked at 13th spot in the conference with 58 points after 60 games.
They have to overcome five teams to get the eighth spot in the conference ranking while dealing with the fear of being replaced by Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens that have exactly the same number of points as Islanders’.
Islanders are currently on a two-game losing streak with the recent defeats coming against Ottawa Senators (6-0) and Buffalo Sabres (2-1).
After the defeat against Sabres, Islanders’ interim coach, Doug Weight, said:
"This is no time to panic.”
He added:
"If you sit on the plane, you look at it as catastrophic. But as tough as it is, when teams are struggling, it can change in a hurry. So we have to get our swagger somehow offensively back. And it's there to be had."
Rangers
Rangers need not worry about reaching the playoffs as they are leading the Eastern Conference with 81 points after 58 games.
However, they do have questions to answer as they have lost two of their last three games.
The last defeat came against Pittsburgh Penguins in which the Rangers conceded two goals without scoring any.
Rangers’ coach, John Tortorella, is focused more on playing and winning the games rather than cherishing the supremacy in the conference.
He said:
“I don't even think about first place. I think about every game, we're trying to win. I don't even look at the standings. Again, we're just trying to get better as a team and prepare each and every day to try to win hockey games.”
Predictions
Rangers might win.
The sum of goals scored by both the teams might stay under six.
If Islanders win, the goal difference would be less than two.
Tags: