This is a 10* on the ISLANDERS

Unlike all the other divisions, there’s going to be a “good” team left out of the playoffs in the East Division. Five teams in the East have goal differentials that are +23 or better. No other division has more than three. The team that looks to be the “odd one out” is the fifth place Rangers, who are looking at a six point deficit with only five games left. A 4-0 loss to the Islanders on Thursday definitely didn’t help. That was their third time getting blanked by the Isles at Madison Square Garden this season, a new record. The Islanders have won five of the season’s seven prior matchups. A win here gets the Islanders into the playoffs for a third straight year, something that has not happened since 2002-04. Remember they were a Conference Finalist last year. The Islanders are 19-3-3 on home ice. That’s tied for the fewest number of regulation losses in the whole league. Goalie Semyon Varlamov clearly has the Rangers’ number, not to mention a lot of other teams as the Islanders have given up the fewest number of goals in the division and second fewest in the league. Play on NY ISLANDERS

AAA