Because of Thursday's loss, the Islanders no longer control their playoff-seeding destiny. The Isles are now in eighth in the East. Even if they win Friday in their finale, they'd need help elsewhere to improve their playoff position. "We haven't played a full 60 minutes in almost a week now," Travis Hamonic said after the Isles lost in regulation for only the second time in the last 16 games (11-2-3). "We have to be better. We didn't deserve to win this one tonight."

The New York Islanders don't plan to take any team lightly with their playoff lives on the line. The Isles will host the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling Florida Panthers Tuesday night. "We hold ourselves accountable inside this dressing room. I think as a group collectively, we know how we can play and it doesn't matter who we're playing," said defenseman Travis Hamonic. "We haven't done anything yet, but you can tell we're slowly moving in the right direction. I think there's a maturation process going on with this team and the organization." The contest is also their last one at home, as far as the regular season is concerned.

Travis Hamonic returned to the ice only minutes after twisting his leg in scary-looking fall during the first period of Thursday's win. Newsday reported the Isles coaches warned Hamonic not to watch the replay of his leg getting caught under him as Hamonic fell. Not that it mattered to Hamonic, who said after the game that he'd "play on one leg if I had to." Hamonic admitted after the game that he wasn't feeling well, but it wouldn't keep him out of games. Thursday's win put Hamonic and the Islanders in prime position to make the playoffs ahead of a showdown with the rival Rangers on Saturday.

The Islanders' shutdown pair of Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald have had some unlucky moments while posting a league-worse minus-13 rating this season. "I scrutinize every game, I know how I play. I can confidently say I'm not playing the way the results show," said Hamonic after two goals Ottawa scored Sunday deflected off him first. "Even the first goal [on Sunday], I put my stick in the lane to block a shot, and are you kidding me? The good thing is, hopefully it's going to run out eventually." The two of them fought back from brutal plus-minus ratings last year and Hamonic went from a minus-10 to a plus-6, so don't be too quick to give up on him.

Travis Hamonic netted his second goal of the year in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to Ottawa. Marty Reasoner and Kyle Okposo picked up assists on the play. The Islanders were blown up by Philadelphia by a 7-0 score on Monday afternoon and they didn't respond with a strong enough effort versus the injury-ravaged Senators.

Travis Hamonic logged 25:06 of ice time in the Islanders' 4-1 win over the Penguins on Tuesday. "I wouldn't be putting myself at risk physically, and I wouldn't want to be a liability to my team if I wasn't ready," he said after the morning skate. "So I'm ready." Hamonic was expected to miss some time with a sprained ankle, but he appears to be alright.

Travis Hamonic is in the lineup for the Islanders as they take on the Penguins Tuesday. Hamonic was initially expected to miss a few games due to a sprained ankle, but he's toughing it out tonight. He has already left the ice grimacing once, but returned soon after to take his regular shift.

Travis Hamonic (ankle) will be a game-time decision Tuesday night against the Penguins. Hamonic says he's ready to play, but we'll have to wait and see if coach Jack Capuano agrees. Hamonic originally suffered the ankle injury Sunday in the third period of an OT loss to Winnipeg.

Travis Hamonic suffered a sprained ankle in the third period of the Islanders' 5-4 overtime loss to Winnipeg on Sunday night. His status is uncertain pending further evaluation, but he isn't expected to play on Tuesday and might be sidelined longer than that. The good news is that his ankle appears to have avoided a serious sprain. Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald form New York's shutdown defense pair, so his loss would leave a sizable hole on the team's back end. The 22-year-old blueliner is averaging just over 24 minutes of ice time, while posting three points and 14 hits in five games.

Travis Hamonic scored a power-play goal in a 2-1 loss Saturday. Hamonic had 24 points and 73 penalty minutes in 73 games last season. Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo each registered an assist for the Islanders.