COLUMBUS, Ohio — The last time the Islanders made the playoffs, it was in large part due to all the times they got a point for losing in overtime.
This time, if they make it, it will be in some measure because they haven’t lost a game during 3-on-3 play all year.
After two overtime wins on the two-game trip that wrapped up Saturday with a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jackets, the Islanders are 8-0 in games decided by an overtime goal, though there have been five shootout losses.
It’s a world removed from two seasons ago when they had 16 overtime and shootout losses.
“I think it’s a lot of puck possession,” Bo Horvat told The Post before the Isles beat the Blue Jackets. “But I think our structure within our 3-on-3 game, we don’t give up much. I find everybody sticks to their man-on-man and does it the right way.
“I think possession time — besides last game, that first shift when [Montreal] had the puck the whole time — for the most part, I think we controlled the game a whole lot. I think that’s a big part of the 3-on-3 for sure.”
That was certainly the case Saturday.
The Islanders lost the opening draw — interestingly, they’re slightly below 50 percent at the dots this year at 3-on-3 — but gained possession within a few seconds, and the Blue Jackets never touched the puck again.
“I think you never know what’s gonna happen with overtime,” Simon Holmstrom said, having scored the winner off Tony DeAngelo’s outlet feed. “There’s always gonna be a lot of chances from both teams. It’s just a matter of possessing the puck and making the right plays at the right time. Getting the changes in, being able to keep them on the ice and get them tired. I think we’ve been doing a really good job of that this season.”
Coach Patrick Roy said he would not have made the challenge that Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness did in alleging goaltender interference on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s goal at 11:59 of the second.
“The contact was not in the crease,” Roy said. “If it’s not in the crease, I don’t know if I would challenge anything right now in the league.”
Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 of 30 shots in net for the Islanders while Jet Greaves saved just 22 of 26.
David Rittich is likely to start against the Panthers at home Sunday on the second end of a back-to-back.
Kent Johnson was a surprise healthy scratch for the Blue Jackets on Saturday.