NHL fans have witnessed great hockey thus far this season.

The Los Angeles Kings are struggling to defend their title, the Nashville Predators are the best team in the league, and the New York Islanders remain atop the Metropolitan Division.

The Islanders are currently 36-18-1 this season giving them 73 points. Just behind them is the Pittsburgh Penguins who are 32-15-8 with 72 points. The New York Rangers are in third place in the division with 69 points thanks to their 32-16-5 record. New York's third Metropolitan area team, the New Jersey Devils, are experiencing a disappointing season across the Hudson River with just 21 victories and 51 points.

John Tavares leads the Islanders in goals with 24, which ranks ninth most in the entire league. Tavares also has a team-leading 27 assists and 51 points. If the Islanders continue their playoff run, he will certainly get some MVP votes.

With 73 points, the Islanders not only lead the Metropolitan division, but they are presently in third place in the Eastern Conference. Only the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning (who both have 74 points) are ahead of the Islanders in the conference. More than likely the Islanders will make the playoffs, but head coach Jack Capuano would love nothing more than to have home-ice advantage come playoff time.

It feels like centuries ago since the "Miracle Islanders" of the 1980s won four consecutive Stanley Cup titles with Mike Bossy, Denis Potvin and Billy Smith. Their drive for five came up short against Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers, but the Islanders have a lot of great memories playing at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The 21st century hasn't been kind to Islanders fans as their team has made the playoffs just twice in the last nine years.

The Islanders haven't even won a playoff series or made it to the Conference Finals since 1993, but fans aren't giving up just yet. This is the final year for the Islanders in Long Island before they move to Brooklyn.

Hopefully their move will be more successful than the Nets.

Trying to catch the Islanders is the Penguins. The Penguins are one of the most balanced teams in the league, ranking 10th in offense and eighth in defense. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been playing great this season with a league-high eight shutouts. Fleury's goals against average is just 2.22, and he has accounted for 26 of the Penguins victories this season. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have a combined 40 goals and 71 assists, and they're trying to win a third Stanley Cup together.

As for Manhattan's team, the New York Rangers are right in the mix thanks to Rick Nash and their elite defense. Nash leads the NHL in goals this season with 34, and the Rangers have allowed the third fewest goals in the league. Henrik Lundqvist did his job before getting injured, and backup goalie Cam Talbot has been playing very well in his support.

The Islanders will play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday at 7 p.m. EST while the Rangers will take on the Phoenix Coyotes at 8 p.m. EST. on Saturday.

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