The list of reasons the Islanders aren’t going to the playoffs is long, but somewhere near the top belongs mention of the Flyers.
Last night Philly made it seven victories in eight meetings this season against the Isles, winning a 4-3 shootout at the Coliseum.
Daniel Briere, the third Flyer skater in the shootout, scored the game winner after Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo and Richard Park had missed for the Islanders.
The Islanders were in control for most of the game, but Wade Dubielewicz couldn’t handle Mike Richards’ shot late in the third period, erasing Philly’s 3-2 deficit. Never mind that Dubielewicz stopped 51 shots overall, doing all he could to put the Isles in position for a rare victory against their division nemesis.
“We’ve been in a lot of tight games against them,” Dubielewicz said. “It seems that most of the games have been pretty close and we just can’t pull them out at the end.”
Nielsen’s goal midway through the third had the Islanders in control, but the Flyers continued their offensive barrage until Richards finally scored at 15:38.
The Isles were no help last night for the Rangers, who now have company for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with the Flyers (91 points).
Not only did the victory move the Flyers ahead of eighth-place Boston, it also kept them three points ahead of victorious Washington, the current ninth seed.
The good news for coach Ted Nolan’s crew was it didn’t have to deal with goalie Martin Biron, who had dominated the Isles, allowing an average of 1.5 goals, in his six starts against them. But Antero Niittymaki was an adequate replacement, stopping 27 shots.
Blake Comeau’s goal midway through the second period gave the Islanders a 2-0 lead, but the Flyers got a goal from Briere before the end of the period and then tied the game on Joffrey Lupul’s goal early in the third.
The Islanders took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission on Park’s 11th goal of the season. Park slapped in a rebound off the boards that Niittymaki had failed to clear.
mpuma@nypost.com