ISLES ON PLAYOFF PUSH
Kyle MacLean couldn't help but take a peek at the out-of-town scoreboard on Thursday night, as the Islanders keep tabs on their opponents in the playoff chase.
The results were largely good, with Columbus (88 points) and Philadelphia (86 points), the two Metro rivals behind the Islanders (89 points) both losing in regulation.
"Everything's so tight right now, so kind of it's tough not to watch," MacLean said.
Watching is one thing, but MacLean - and the Islanders at large - aren't relying on the out-of-town scoreboard to secure a playoff position. The winger said the Islanders focus is first and foremost on themselves.
"Do our job. Nobody else is going to do it for us," MacLean said. "We're not going to wait and watch around to maybe squeak in. We have to kind of take control of it and get these points for ourselves."
That's music to Roy's ears, who said teams can get in trouble when they aren't focused on the task at hand.
"If you start thinking about what happens around you and thinking about winning a game before winning the game, this is where the problem starts," Roy said. "You let your mind go in the wrong place and it's easy to lose your focus. It's easy to lose your momentum. So I rather stay in the present moment and focus on on shift by shift."
MacLean understands the assignment, which starts with a four-point game against the Flyers. It's a high-stakes time of year, but an exciting one.
"It's kind of playoff-esque," MacLean said. "Every point matters, and we're playing for our season pretty much. It definitely raises the stakes and makes a bit more exciting."
