from Arthur Staple of Newsday,

Of all the eye-catching numbers the Islanders have posted this season, perhaps the best and most important ones are the team's records within the Eastern Conference (20-5-1) and within the Metro Division (13-2-0).

There's no reason to rehash last season's records in those two categories. They weren't good by any comparison. This year's team has shown a new sense of purpose to not only earn crucial points, but earn them against the teams the Isles are trying to outdistance in the playoff hunt....

The 13 divisional wins are tops in the NHL, having beaten all seven fellow Metro teams at least once. And this is not beating up on weaker teams at the bottom. The Isles are 6-2 against the Penguins, Capitals and Rangers, the three teams most likely to join the Isles in the postseason.

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