John Tortorella and Doug Weight were just a few feet away from each other.
The mental and emotional distance separating the coaches was another matter following a 3-2 overtime victory by the Blue Jackets over the Islanders on Saturday at Barclays Center. Cam Atkinson delivered the winner for Columbus 1:19 into the extra session.
“We played really well,” said Tortorella, whose Blue Jackets moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division race. “I like the way we competed.”
Travis Hamonic and John Tavares scored for the Isles, who dropped to 33-26-12 with their fourth loss in five games.
“We just weren’t good,” Weight said.
The Islanders, with 78 points, trail the Maple Leafs, who have 79 points, for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, with the Lightning another point behind at 77.
Toronto and Tampa Bay both lost at home Saturday night, but the Maple Leafs lost in overtime to remain a point ahead of the Islanders.
Oliver Bjorkstrand and Josh Anderson scored in the second period for Columbus, which won for the seventh time in March and improved to 46-18-6.
Before the game, Tortorella said his team was prepared for the Islanders to attack with heavy pressure. Instead, Columbus outshot the Isles, 38-22, and controlled much of the game.
“I don’t know if I liked more than one or two shifts in the first two periods,” Weight said.