Technically, the Islanders were not eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday with a 3-0 defeat to the Senators. But the first word in that sentence is doing some heavy lifting.

Special teams were the difference on Saturday afternoon, as the New York Islanders were shut out 3-0 by the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena. Ridly Greig’s shorthanded goal, Jake Sanderson’s power-play goal and Michael Amadio’s empty net goal accounted for the Sens offense.

After a 3-0 loss to the Senators, the Islanders don’t have the luxury of wiggle room as they push for a playoff berth.

The collapse is nearly complete. The Islanders’ playoff odds hit life support on Saturday as they lost 3-0 at home to the Senators, putting the second wild-card spot officially out of reach and meaning they could be officially eliminated as soon as Sunday.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Linus Ullmark made 23 saves, and the Ottawa Senators moved five points ahead of the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference wild-card race with their fourth straight win, 3-0 at UBS Arena on Saturday.

Cole Kasin, who lost his varsity star brother to a rare heart condition was given the day of a lifetime by the Islanders, as he skated to center ice ahead of Saturday’s 3-0 loss against the Senators.

Ridly Greig scored a short-handed goal in the first period and Jake Sanderson added a power-play goal in the third, lifting the Ottawa Senators to a ​3-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon in Elmont,

The Islanders face Senators in the first half of their final back-to-back set of the regular season (1 PM, MSGSN)