Islanders clinch playoff berth

Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist and the Patrick Roy-led New York Islanders clinched one of the two remaining playoff berths in the Eastern Conference with a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Monday night in Newark, N.J.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Kyle MacLean also scored as the Islanders secured third place in the Metropolitan Division and earned their fifth post-season berth in the six seasons. Semyon Varlamov made 23 saves for his fifth straight win and helped New York extend its point streak to eight games.

The run has been evidence that general manager Lou Lamoriello made the right move when he fired head coach Lane Lambert on Jan. 20 with New York’s season slipping away after losing four straight and posting a 2-6-2 stretch.

Roy came aboard and found ways to press the right buttons, leading the team to a 19-12-5 record, with their best hockey coming late with everything on the line. Lambert, who led the Islanders to the playoffs in his first season in 2022-23, was 19-15-11 when he was sacked.

Charlie Lindgren stopped 16 shots and the Capitals moved a step closer to the playoffs by beating the Boston Bruins 2-0 in Washington. A win at Philadelphia on Tuesday night would put the Capitals in the playoffs as the second wild card regardless of other results around the NHL.

Dylan Cozens scored twice and the Buffalo Sabres concluded another disappointing season with a 4-2 win over the playoff-bound Lightning in Tampa. The Sabres will miss the playoffs for an NHLrecord 13th consecutive season. The Lightning had already locked up the first wild card in the East.