Stakes are high as NY Islanders finish road trip in Montreal against Canadiens

The New York Islanders close out their final multi-game road trip of the regular season Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre, looking to rebound from a tough loss and regain ground in the playoff race.

New York (39-25-5) fell 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, conceding the winning goal in the final seconds. Despite the loss, Matthew Schaefer and Brayden Schenn continued their strong play, each scoring in the defeat, while Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves.

Schaefer’s goal marked another milestone in his standout rookie season. The 18-year-old became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach 50 points and ranks second on the Islanders with 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists). He has recorded six points in his last seven games.

Schenn has also provided a spark since joining New York, entering Saturday on a three-game point streak with goals in each of his past two contests. He has four points in six games with the Islanders.

Coach Patrick Roy adjusted all four forward lines during morning skate, with Anders Lee, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal forming the top unit. Sorokin is expected to start.

The Islanders enter the game tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets with 83 points but sit outside a playoff position, trailing the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings by one point.

Montreal (84 points) is also in the playoff mix despite a recent 3-1 loss to Detroit. Juraj Slafkovský, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have led the offense during a recent surge.

The Islanders defeated Montreal 4-3 in overtime in their previous meeting on Feb. 26.

With the standings tightly packed, Saturday’s matchup carries significant playoff implications for both teams.