5 Takeaways: Islanders Clinch Playoff Berth With 3-0 Win Over Rangers

"We want playoffs" rang throughout the stands at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night, so the New York Islanders obliged.
The Islanders punched their ticket to the playoffs, clinching a berth in the postseason with a dominant 3-0 win over the New York Rangers at the Coliseum.
Anthony Beauvillier scored twice, Josh Bailey had a game-high three points and Semyon Varlamov turned aside all 28 shots for his third-straight shutout, setting a team record in the process.

The win also marked the second-straight shutout against the Rangers, effectively ending their rival's playoffs hopes with a week and a half left in the season, while cementing their position.
"It's exciting to be back in the playoffs and doing it tonight against the Rangers and at home is an even better feeling," Mat Barzal said. "We're excited as a group. Some games here to fine tune our game before playoffs so that's what we're going to do. But tonight, we're definitely going to just enjoy it. We're excited."
Here are five takeaways from a playoff-clinching win.

PLAYOFF BOUND:

The Islanders are going back to the playoffs for a third-straight season, marking the first time since 2002-04 the Isles had qualified in three-straight seasons.
"I'm really proud of the group," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "They're a really committed group. They wear the crest on the front is the most important thing for this group and they take a lot of pride… We're not done. This group wanted to tick this off and get in the playoffs and then try to finish as high as we can. In the playoffs it's a new season."
A playoff berth was the carrot dangling in front of the Islanders at the start of this pivotal home-and-home set with the Rangers and the Isles met the moment with a pair of commanding shutout wins.
"I think [the Rangers] did a great job putting heat on us for that spot," Bailey said. "We knew the importance of two nights ago and tonight, so happy and proud of our group for the way we came out - Varlamov shutting the door."
With the win, the Islanders (67 points) move into third place in the East Division, one point ahead of the Boston Bruins (66 points), who sit in fourth place with a game in hand.
The Islanders have five games left until the postseason, so the focus is shifting to fine-tuning their game and trying to finish as high as possible to potentially secure home ice in the first round.

BEAUVILLIER STAYS HOT VS RANGERS:

A Beauvillier point vs the Rangers almost feels inevitable now after the Islanders forward scored twice vs the Blueshirts on Saturday night.
Beauvillier's goals was his 12th and 13th tallies - and 22nd and 23rd points - in 21 career games against the Rangers, the most offense he's produced vs any team in his NHL career.
The 23-year-old opened the scoring at 4:39, taking a Bailey feed and snapping a wrister blocker side past Alexandar Georgiev. Beauvillier scored his second goal in similar fashion, picking the far corner on Georgeiv from the right circle to put the Isles ahead 3-0 at 1:02 of the middle frame.
Beauvillier was especially hot vs the Rangers of late, ripping off a four-point game on April 20, scoring a goal on Thursday and netting another two on Saturday.
"I don't know what it is, but it's easy to wake up and play the Rangers," Beauvillier said. "The rivalry goes back years and years. Playing them at the Coli and having Rangers fans and Islanders fans in the building, I think you can just feel the energy and the atmosphere in the building so it makes it a little bit easy for sure to be motivated and get fired up for the games. I really enjoy playing the Rangers, they're always big games and you can definitely feel the energy in the building."

BARZAL SCORES ANOTHER BEAUTY:

After going 12 games without a goal, Mathew Barzal has goals in back-to-back games.
Barzal added another highlight to his 2020-21 reel, streaking up the ice on a breakaway off a headman pass from Bailey and burying a backhander on Georgeiv at 16:22 of the first period to go up 2-0.
The goal was Barzal's 15th of the season and his seventh point (3G, 4A) in eight games against the Rangers this season. The 23-year-old nearly potted a second goal in the third period, pulling the puck around Zac Jones before just shooting wide on Georgiev.

VARLAMOV SETS ISLES SHUTOUT STREAK RECORD:

Varlamov set the Islanders all-time consecutive regular season shutout record on Saturday night.
Varlamov's shutout streak currently stands at 213:56, which broke Chico Resch's previous mark of 178:29 early in the second period. Varlamov also owns the Islanders longest playoff shutout streak at 138:17, which he set last season in the bubble.
"This is a great achievement for sure," Varlamov said. "It's a team sport and there's no way I could do this without my brothers. They work hard for me every game and like I said, there's no way I could do it without them. They've been playing outstanding in front of me defensively - offensively scoring goals. I appreciate everything they do for me. This is beautiful."
ISLANDERS AT RANGERS
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Full Highlights
Beauvillier Opens Scoring
Barzal's Breakaway Backhander
Beauvillier Buries Second of Night

Postgame: Bailey and Barzal
Postgame: Varlamov & Beauvillier
KINGER'S CALLS
Beauvillier Opens Up Scoring
Barzal's Breakaway Backhand
Beauvillier Buries His Second
Saturday marked Varlamov's league-leading and career-high seventh shutout this season and fourth against the Rangers this year. In total, the Islanders have 10 shutouts as a team, one shy of the franchise record set during the 2018-19 season.

LAST ISLES-RANGERS GAME AT THE COLISEUM:

Saturday night marked the final Islanders-Rangers game Nassau Coliseum and fittingly the Islanders closed this chapter of their storied rivalry with a shutout win.
The rivals clashed at the Coliseum 132 times in the regular season, with fans from both teams filling the building to create the unique derby atmosphere. The Islanders hold a 68-51-8-5 record all-time vs the Rangers at the Coliseum.
"It's such a great rivalry," Bailey said. "Myself personally and all the guys who've had a chance to be a part of that rivalry, our fans most importantly, got to enjoy it over the years here. We'll close this chapter and I'm sure there will be other stories to write at the new arena. But for now, we're just happy to clinch and we'll just move forward."
Both Islanders and Rangers players shared their affections for the building prior to Saturday's game and it was only fitting that the Islanders emerge victorious in the final meeting. Trotz said he made a point of driving that home to his team before the game, especially for longtime Isles like Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck and Brock Nelson.
"I thought it would be appropriate that we came with a really solid effort of the last meeting in this building," Trotz said. "I think this building has some personality and it's fitting that the last game against the Rangers, which is your rival, that you get a victory in this building. I thought it was important to that group of players who think about this building as home."

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders hit the road for a back-to-back set against the Buffalo Sabres starting on Monday night. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.