When the Islanders left for a four-game road trip last week, they were riding a three-game winning streak and were in possession of a playoff spot. But after a 1-3 excursion, the Islanders have returned to Long Island on the outside looking in when it comes to the Eastern Conference playoff race.
While that's the bad news, the good news is that the Islanders are ready to start a five-game home stand Tuesday night, when they welcome the Dallas Stars to UBS Arena.
"It's nice," said Head Coach Lane Lambert after Monday's practice at Northwell Health Ice Center. "We've said that we've played quite a few games on the road lately, so it will be good to get back home and get in front of our fans and get back to some home cooking so to speak."
The five-game home stand is part of a stretch where the Islanders will play 10 of their next 14 games at home. The Isles have generally been a team that has always relished the chance to bond when they've been away, but in recent weeks, the Islanders have been hit by a rash of injuries that has shaken up the roster while they've been away.
Now they are home and they're on the verge of getting some players back in the lineup. Mat Barzal and Simon Holmstrom returned to practice on Monday, joining Kyle Palmieri, who is inching closer to getting back in the lineup. The other good news is that defenseman Adam Pelech has been skating for a few days, so he is showing progress as well.
All in all, the Islanders were doing a lot of smiling Monday.
"The last three weeks, we were gone an awful lot," said forward Josh Bailey. "It's good to get home and settle into this routine, and it's something we want to make the most of here. The schedule keeps coming at you. It's a lot of hockey and still a lot of hockey to be played, and obviously on home ice, you want to make sure that you're on top of your game."
The immediate task at hand for the Islanders on Tuesday night will be the Dallas Stars, who, as of Monday, lead the Central Division and are fifth overall in the NHL with 54 points. Dallas has a deep roster, featuring Jamie Benn, Jason Robertson, and Joe Pavelski ahead of goalie Jake Oettinger.
"They're a really solid team top to bottom, from their goalie on out," said Islanders Captain Anders Lee. "It's a really great hockey team that can score. They play really tight defensively at times and they pose a threat every night, so there's a reason why they're doing as well as they are. It will be a big challenge for us."
"They're a big heavy team," said Bailey. "They got some talent and some skilled guys who know how to put the puck in the net. It's always a tough game when you line up against those guys."
"Every night you have a challenge but these guys got a couple of really high-end lines and some d-men that like to really get in the play," added defenseman Ryan Pulock. "I think the big thing for us is our own game and our focus on what we do well and what gives us success."
So, after having nine of their last 12 games away from Long Island, the Islanders are glad to be back home for a while. After the Stars, the Islanders will see the Minnesota Wild on Thursday and the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday to round out the week, and then the Washington Capitals and NHL-leading Boston Bruins will visit UBS Arena next Monday and Wednesday before the Islanders shuffle off to Buffalo.
There's a lot of action coming up in Islanders Country.
"It's a great opportunity to get in front of our fans and be able to be at home for a little bit here and play some good hockey," said Lee. "It's a great opportunity, and I think we're looking forward to taking advantage of it."
"It didn't go how we wanted it to go on the road, and we know we have better here," adedd Pulock. "It's a critical home stand here and we gotta get back into winning ways and just keep building it that way."
It was a tough road trip for the Islanders, but now they are back home for a while and getting healthier day by day. And unlike last season, the Islanders are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, so a strong home stand would certainly have them feeling pretty good about themselves.
Follow Peter Schwartz on Twitter: @SchwartzSports
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