MONTREAL _ Barry Trotz was being asked about how he would decide which goalie to start in the playoffs when he put the brakes on that line of questioning.
"We've got to get to the playoffs," the Islanders coach said. "That's like asking me what car I want and I'm not even on the lot yet."
It seems a very fair concern as the Islanders, seeking their first playoff berth since 2016, were blown out _ outskated and beaten regularly in the physical battles _ for a second straight game as their position in the Metropolitan Division became more precarious with eight games left in the season.
This time, the Islanders lost, 4-0, to the Canadiens on Thursday night at Bell Centre after Tuesday night's 5-0 loss to the Bruins at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum. They remained three points behind the division-leading Capitals, who can widen that lead when they host the Wild on Friday night.
But the Islanders (42-25-7), playing their first game after valuable third-line center Valtteri Filppula was lost for three weeks with an apparent left shoulder injury, are also in danger of being passed by the Penguins and Hurricanes, who remained four points back after a 6-3 loss to the visiting Lightning, if they can't compete at a consistent level.
Thomas Greiss was replaced by Robin Lehner (12 saves) after allowing four goals on 22 shots while Carey Price made 28 saves for his fourth shutout and 44th of his career for the Canadiens (39-28-7), battling the Blue Jackets for the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot. The Islanders were shut out in consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 19-21, 2011.
"After (Tuesday's) game, we want to prove to ourselves that we're not that team," center Casey Cizikas said before Thursday's faceoff.
But it is fair to question, off these back-to-back clunkers, exactly what team the Islanders are at this point.
Their power play, 0-for-3 on Thursday, has produced just one goal over 14 games and their five-on-five scoring has dried up as well. The defense, so sound most of the season, left Greiss and Lehner under siege in the two losses and in a 3-2 overtime win at Minnesota on Sunday that also was not a strong performance.
The Islanders conclude this two-game trip at Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon and the Flyers came into the Coliseum and beat them, 4-1, on March 3 and 5-2 six days later.
The Canadiens assumed control with a three-goal barrage in the opening 8:19 of the second period.
Defenseman Shea Weber blasted one over Greiss' far shoulder from the right circle to make it 2-0 at 1:03, giving the Canadiens two goals in 1:09 of playing time.
Jonathan Drouin, finishing off a passing sequence at the crease from Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia at the crease after Price had come out to cut down the angle on Jordan Eberle's chance up ice, made it 3-0 at 6:00. And Jordan Weal's redirection of defenseman Jordie Benn's shot ended Greiss' night at 8:19.
The Islanders could not take advantage on back-to-back power plays, including 21 seconds of overlapping five-on-three play as Jeff Petry cross checked Mathew Barzal at 6:56 of the first period and Shea Weber hooked Nick Leddy at 8:35. The Canadiens actually outshot the Islanders, 3-2, while short-handed.
But the Canadiens converted on their second power play as Leo Komarov was called for tripping Brendan Gallagher at center ice on a knee-to-knee hit at 19:31, just seven seconds after Brock Nelson exited the penalty box.
Joel Armia with his first career power-play goal in 229 games, trickled a one-timer through Greiss' pads from the low slot with 5.6 seconds left in the first period.
