WASHINGTON _ There were a few different permutations and scenarios that could have had an effect on the Islanders' playoff path entering Saturday night's season-finale against the Capitals at Capital One Arena.
But there was just one easy scenario for the Islanders. Earn at least a point and secure home-ice advantage for the first round at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum.
Mission accomplished, and a bit more.
The Islanders will face the Penguins in the first round after a 3-0 win over the Capitals, who had clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division on Thursday night and were resting key regulars John Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie.
Third-line center Valtteri Filppula, back in the lineup after missing eight games with a hyperextended left elbow, scored twice.
The NHL playoffs will open on Wednesday and the full schedule will be released on Sunday.
The Islanders will play Games 1 and 2 _ and 5 and 7, if necessary _ at the venerable barn which hosted its last playoff game in 2015. The Islanders, in the playoffs for the first time since 2016, will have home-ice advantage in a series for the first time since 1988.
The Islanders (48-27-7) finished in second place in the division with 103 points, the most they've had since 1984, which was their last trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Though they lost 4-3 in overtime to the Rangers, the Penguins finished their season by locking up third place when they earned a point by forcing the OT. The Hurricanes were looking to move ahead of the Penguins as they ended their season at Philadelphia with a 4-3 win, but they fell short.
The Capitals will face the Hurricanes and that winner will face the winner of the Islanders-Penguins series in the division final.
The message from Islanders coach Barry Trotz, who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup last season, was simple before the game.
"We just talked about it, let's not cheat our teammates," Trotz said. "Let's not cheat the process. Let's just play well and whatever happens, happens."
The Islanders did that relying on the stifling defense that has fueled their turnaround after giving up 293 goals last season, the most in the NHL since 2007.
Robin Lehner, the likely playofff Game 1 starter, made 29 saves for his sixth shutout, extending his career high. Lehner and Thomas Greiss will share the Jennings Trophy as the Islanders allowed a league-low 196 goals. The Islanders are the first team since the Ottawa Senators in 1918-19 to go from worst to first in that category.
Pheonix Copley made 19 saves for the Capitals (48-26-8).
Filppula gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 2:55 of the second period on a breakaway after being sprung by defenseman Devon Toews.
He got to the crease and redirected defenseman Adam Pelech's feed to make it 2-0 at 10:54 of the third period. Matt Martin's empty-netter at 17:27 of the third clinched it.
Both goalies had highlight-reel saves in the first period, Lehner as he robbed Brett Connolly from low in the slot at 17:59 and Copley as he stretched to stop Josh Bailey's backhander at the crease off a tight passing sequence from defenseman Devon Toews and Brock Nelson at 14:03. He also gloved Filppula's attempt as he skated in from the right circle at 15:24.
The Islanders played much of the first period with five defensemen after Scott Mayfield took defenseman Dmitry Orlov's snap shot off his right leg and hobbled off the ice at 2:53, heading to the Islanders' room and not taking his next shift until 15:58.
