New York Daily News

Isles limp into playoffs

- DEVILS ISLANDERS 2 1

Michael McLeod scored the tiebreakin­g goal late in the second period, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 32 shots and the Devils beat the playoff-bound Islanders, 2-1, Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum for their fifth win in six games.

Pavel Zacha also scored for the Devils, who beat the Islanders for just the second time in seven meetings this season.

Anthony Beauvillie­r scored on a deflection for the Islanders, who have lost three straight (0-2-1) against Buffalo and the

Devils, the bottom two teams in the East Division. The Isles have lost six of their last eight (24-2) overall.

Semyon Varlamov finished with 23 saves.

The teams meet again Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum to conclude their season series.

The Islanders are 5-6-2 in their last 13 games — including a 4-0-0 mark against the rival Rangers.

Kyle Palmieri, who along with Travis Zajac was facing the Devils for the first time since the two were dealt to the Islanders days before the trade deadline, was denied by Blackwood on a stuff try from the left doorstep with 7:21 remaining.

The Islanders pulled Varlamov for an extra skater with 1 ½ minutes left, but couldn’t tie it. They outshot the Devils, 13-5, in the third period.

 ?? AP PHOTOS ?? Those aren’t the team benches, they’re the penalty boxes, which stayed full for much of Rangers’ game against Capitals Wednesday night at Garden thanks to fights like this one between Blueshirts’ Ryan Strome and Caps’ Lars Eller.
AP PHOTOS Those aren’t the team benches, they’re the penalty boxes, which stayed full for much of Rangers’ game against Capitals Wednesday night at Garden thanks to fights like this one between Blueshirts’ Ryan Strome and Caps’ Lars Eller.

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