Blue Jackets at Islanders
The New York Islanders may have the chance to gain home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs when they host the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets in the final regular-season game at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday. New York clinched no worse than third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 3-1 triumph at Pittsburgh on Friday and can secure second with a victory over Columbus should Washington lose to the New York Rangers in the afternoon.
The Islanders, who are moving to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. next season after 43 campaigns on Long Island, will face the Capitals in the first round of the postseason regardless of Saturday's results. Columbus won't make things easy for the Islanders as it enters the matchup with a franchise record-tying 12-game point streak (11-0-1). Cam Atkinson snapped a tie midway through the third period and Matt Calvert recorded a goal and an assist Friday as the Blue Jackets posted a 4-2 victory to extend their home winning streak to six games. The Islanders are 2-0-1 against Columbus this season, outscoring the Blue Jackets 11-5 in winning the first two meetings before falling in a shootout on April 2.
TV: NHLN, FSN Ohio (Columbus), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (41-35-5): Columbus enters its season finale with a nine-game road point streak (8-0-1) and a 14-1-1 mark over its last 16 overall contests. Nick Foligno scored his club-best 31st goal Friday and carries a two-point lead over Ryan Johansen (71) for first on the team. Foligno is riding a six-game point streak during which he has collected five goals and three assists.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (47-28-6): The club has qualified for the postseason for the second time in three seasons following a string of five straight non-playoff campaigns. The Islanders also reached the 100-point plateau for the eighth time in franchise history and first since 1983-84, when they made their fifth consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup final but lost to Edmonton. Captain John Tavares scored the winning goal Friday, tying him with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby for the league scoring lead with 84 points.
OVERTIME
1. Foligno has not gone more than one contest without a point since a three-game drought from Feb. 24-28.
2. Columbus also registered a 12-game point streak from Feb. 26-March 22, 2013.
3. Tavares has collected three goals and seven assists during his five-game point streak.