UNIONDALE, NY – Call it Murphy’s Law of sports: When a team gets eliminated from playoff contention, then they play their best.

It could be because there’s nothing to play for or there is a lack of pressure.

Whatever you want to say it is, it happened to the New York Islanders in their 4-1 win over Pittsburgh Monday night, a day after the Flyers eliminated them from any postseason hopes.

“Honestly, I just thought we played harder,” said Islanders captain Bill Guerin, who had a goal and an assist on the night. “We had everybody finishing their checks, moving their feet better. I think that was the difference.”

Although the Penguins came out and “took it” to the Islanders in the first period according to coach Ted Nolan, New York responded in the second, with the score tied 1-1 by scoring two goals and limited Pittsburgh to only three shots for the period.

Guerin scored at 11:45 to break the tie and then, Sean Bergenheim added some insurance later around three minutes later with a power play tally off Ty Conklin, who stopped 32 Islander shots on the night.

“I don’t know if they were 100 percent into this game or if we just played so well,” Bergenheim said.

When Trent hunter made it 4-1 with a little more than eight minutes left, it was enough for Wade Dubielewicz, who had 28 saves.

It almost didn’t end that way, because in the first, the Penguins came out and peppered Dubielewicz with pucks, and eventually were up 8-2 in the shot department.

But fortune shined on the Isles, with Richard Park scoring a shorthanded goal at 3:22, to give New York an early lead.

That was short lived, because Jeremy Colliton was still in the box and Petr Sykora was able to take advantage on the power play to tie it.

Notes: Because many youth hockey teams sold tickets for a contest, the game was a sellout, yet there were many empty seats…The Islanders visit Pittsburgh on Thursday, but then play three of their last four games at home.