Monday night's post-holiday matchup between the Islanders and Rangers will be the fourth meeting between the two clubs this season. While all three games have been decided by a 4-2 margin, they've all been close games. The Islanders won the first game, but with the Rangers winning the last two contests, the Islanders will be looking to get back to their winning ways.

Completing a set of back-to-back games before the holiday and three games in four nights, the two-day break was a welcome rest. With one game against the Eastern Conference leading Rangers and the next night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the games weren't easy battles.

After falling behind the Leafs 3-0 just 11:15 into the contest, the Islanders responded and cut the goal differential to within one goal twice. But a questionable diving penalty to John Tavares with three minutes remaining in regulation severely diminished the Isles opportunity to tie the score for an overtime or shootout win.

"We did a good job in the second and third, we battled hard," Okposo said. "But when you're down 3-0, it's tough to win."

Islanders forward John Tavares following the Isles loss to Toronto on Dec. 23rd: "We just have to understand games like these, after tough travel weeks, days we don’t feel very good, we have to find ways to win. Especially a team like this that we are chasing in the standings. Our work ethic and our attitude is there, it’s just our execution, so we got some good things to build on, but we could definitely use these couple days of rest."