The NHL regular season is not yet 20 percent complete.

But if the early state of the highly competitive Eastern Conference is any indication, even early November games could have postseason implications for the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins.

The Islanders and Bruins will each look to remain hot Tuesday night, when New York hosts Boston in Elmont, N.Y.

The Bruins have been off since Saturday, when they held off the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, 2-1. The Islanders earned a dramatic win Sunday afternoon, when the hosts scored twice in the final 67 seconds of the third period to stun the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2.

Recent winning streaks for the Bruins and Islanders have allowed them to bank points in the competitive Eastern Conference, where 12 of the 16 teams entered Monday with e

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