It’s just one game out of an 82-game schedule so let’s not make a mountain of ice chips over it.

But Wednesday night’s match against the Bruins at UBS Arena to continue a seven-game homestand is one the Islanders should win if they are the kind of team they believe they are and the playoff contender outside observers are starting to trust they can be.

It will be their third and final match against the Bruins and the Islanders (13-8-2), who are 1-1-0 on the homestand, have yet to beat them. The Bruins (13-11-0), without Brad Marchand and long without Patrice Bergeron, were not expected to be among the Eastern Conference’s legitimate playoff contenders this season But they’re hanging around after a rough start and the Islanders could wind up vying with them for a wild-card spot.

In that c

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