Game Preview: Islanders at Predators

New York Islanders (37-29-12) at Nashville Predators (40-28-11)
8 p.m., Bridgestone Arena
TV: MSG+2
Radio: AM970 - The Answer, 88.7FM - WRHU, 103.9FM - LI News
The Islanders (86 points) start the day six points back of the Boston Bruins (92 points) for the second Wild Card in the Eastern Conference with four games remaining.
The Islanders need to win out their games and get some help from the Bruins, Ottawa Senators (92 points) and Tampa Bay Lightning (88 points). The Bruins and Lightning play each other on Tuesday night, so one team will get points regardless, while the Senators wrap up a home-and-home set with the Detroit Red Wings. Ottawa earned a point in a 5-4 shootout loss on Monday night.

"You have to hope for some help, but every win brings more teams involved and we want to get to 94 points," Interim Coach Doug Weight said on Monday. "We're still alive and kicking and we still believe. Now it's not six in a row, it's four in a row so we have to start with tomorrow."
If the Senators and Bruins can get three points each in their remaining games, the Islanders will be eliminated from playoff contention.
The Islanders have won two straight games entering Tuesday's action.

Isles Vs. Preds:

The Islanders and Predators meet for the second time in eight days, with the Islanders looking to avenge a 3-1 loss on March 27. Winning in Nashville is easier said than done, as the Isles are 1-7-0 in their last eight trips and are just 3-8-0 all-time in Music City, per Eric Hornick's The Skinny.

Predators Posturing:

The Predators have clinched a playoff berth, but are now playing for postseason positioning. Nashville is currently in the second Wild Card, setting up a first-round matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Predators (91 points) trail the St. Louis Blues by two points (93 points) and Calgary Flames by one point (92 points). If the Predators can pass Calgary, they'd draw the winner of the Pacific Division - currently Anaheim - and if they can pass St. Louis, they'd draw Minnesota.
Since beating the Islanders on Mar. 27, the Predators have lost three of their last four games.