from Neil Best of Newsday,

Fans of the Islanders understandably will spend Sunday thinking deep playoff thoughts.

What team will they face, and where? (See you soon, Sidney Crosby?) Which goaltender will start? How far can they go?

For what it’s worth, it says here they could go far indeed, no April foolin’.

All of that is as it should be. But let us take a moment before March ends and the regular season fades into memory to appreciate what the Islanders have done.

The capper came Saturday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum, where they secured a berth in the Stanley Cup tournament with a 5-1 rout of the overmatched Sabres.

It was the first time they clinched a postseason spot on home ice in 17 years, a moment thoroughly enjoyed by a raucous, happy crowd.

When it was over, players gathered at mid-ice to raise their sticks in tribute as the fans — most of whom stayed to the end — rose as one.

“I was having goosebumps saluting the fans there,” said Anthony Beauvillier, who scored two goals. “It’s just crazy how loud they’ve been all year. Everybody’s happy. They’re happy, we’re happy, and it’s going to be lots of fun [in the playoffs].”

continued