Isles clinch playoff berth, Pens eliminated for 1st time since 2006

The New York Islanders booked the final spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and dashed the Pittsburgh Penguins' postseason hopes with a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.

The Islanders only needed one point against the Habs to nab the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Florida Panthers secured the other one Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh last missed the playoffs in 2005-06, Sidney Crosby's rookie campaign. The Pens made 16 consecutive postseason appearances between 2006-07 and 2021-22.

This is the first time both NHL teams in Pennsylvania have failed to qualify since 1989-1990.

New York will return to the playoffs after missing out last season. The Isles reached the semifinal round in 2020 and 2021, losing to the eventual champion Tampa Bay Lightning both times.

The Penguins re-upped franchise fixtures Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang last summer, inking Malkin to a four-year deal and Letang to a six-year pact. Crosby is signed through 2024-25. Malkin will turn 37 in July, Letang turns 36 on April 24, and Crosby will be 36 in August.

Pittsburgh won the Cup with its current core in 2009, 2016, and 2017. However, the Pens haven't made it past the second round since their most recent championship victory and haven't won a playoff series since 2017-18.

Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.