For the Islanders, all games matter but intraconference games just mean more
Islanders center Bo Horvat skates against the San Jose Sharks in the second period of an NHL hockey game at UBS Arena on Oct. 21. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
DALLAS — The video board just outside the Stars’ dressing room at American Airlines Center displayed the Western Conference standings.
Only the Western Conference standings.
It was as if half the 32-team NHL did not exist.
That, of course, is not the case. But it was a window into how teams perceive interconference matches as compared to intraconference games. Interconference games can be fun and exciting and are still worth two points. But they don’t carry the same impact in the standings or in judging a team as intraconference matches do.
“It’s kind of kind of like you’re going in a little bit blind,” Islanders center Bo Horvat said. “You only see these guys twice a year so it’s a little bit different. You’re not sure exactly what each other is going to do out there or what kind of game it’s supposed to be.”
The Islanders concluded a run of four straight against Western opponents facing the Stars on Tuesday night in the penultimate match of their seven-game road trip.
And while overtimes wins in Vegas and Utah and the strong way the Islanders played in a 4-1 loss in Colorado on Sunday were impressive, these are ultimately not the teams the Islanders need to be better than or compared against.
The Eastern Conference standings are tight as the Islanders entered Tuesday five points shy of the conference lead and four points ahead of the conference cellar. They must worry about being favorably compared to the Penguins or Canadiens or Blue Jackets or Senators, etc., etc.
Of course, hockey players being hockey players, that’s not how they’re hard wired.
The chance to earn two points is all the motivation they need. The fact that there really isn’t a three-point scenario in these interconference games — sometimes beating a conference opponent in overtime or a shootout is of no help at all — does not matter.
“I don’t think we really think about,” Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “Your mindset is winning. When you’re on the road, getting any points you can manage is important. These last few games, we’re playing some pretty good teams, some of the better teams out West, so we’re just trying to muster as many points as we can.”
Still, the urgency and the intensity in these interconference contests can sometimes pale compared to an intraconference rivalry.
In many ways, the Islanders and Stars are strangers to each other. The only other time they’ll play this regular season is March 26 at UBS Arena.
Tuesday’s match understandably had a different feel to it than if the Islanders were facing the Flyers or if the Stars were playing the Avalanche.
“I would say so,” Stars right wing Mavrik Bourque said. “For me, it’s my second year and most of those guys you play them twice a year, you don’t really know them basically. Sometimes you play them twice early in the year and the year after you play them twice at the end of the year. So you don’t see them often.
“But, at the end of the day, it’s such a hard league and who doesn’t matter who you play night after night, you need to earn it to win.”
Actually, the fact that Tuesday’s match came relatively early in the season — it was the 20th game for both teams — made it more similar to an early-season intraconference game.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said the difference is more noticeable later in the season.
“We’re still early so we’ve just seen everybody for the first time and lots of new coaches,” Gulutzan said. “So it is kind of like every other game right now because we’re doing the same thing preparation wise for them as we do for most teams. Now when you see start seeing the Western teams the third time it’s a little different. But right now it feels the same. We just need the points.”
The Islanders opened the road trip with wins over Metropolitan Division rivals the Rangers and Devils (in overtime) and close the trip on Thursday night against the Red Wings, who could battle the Islanders for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
All games are important.
But those games against Eastern Conference opponents are the ones that make or break the season.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
