By Nicholas Pepino ELMONT, N.Y. - The NHL Stanley Cup playoff race is heating up, and the New York Islanders find themselves in the middle of a dogfight for the final wildcard standing in the highly competitive Metropolitan division within the Eastern Conference. With only a few games remaining and the regular season concluding for the Islanders on April 14, playing well down the final stretch will be crucial for the team’s playoff hopes. Despite recent poor play of the Islan