UNIONDALE, NY — Outside the entrance to the Islanders dressing room, the new plaques for the team hall of fame inductees provided a link to the glorious past. But beyond those walls, the current group could only talk about missed opportunities after dropping a crucial division game Saturday afternoon.

With the franchise set to the honor the 17 players who were part of the four championship teams on Sunday, the Islanders sabotaged its chances for even qualifying for a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Braydon Coburn broke a second period deadlock and Mike Knuble added a crushing short-handed goal late in the third as the Islanders lost 4-1 to the Flyers at Nassau Coliseum.

A win would have pulled the home team into a tie with Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final postseason spot. Instead, coach Ted Nolan’s team dropped to 31-28-7 and trails the Flyers by four points with 16 games remaining. Philadelphia also owns a game in hand, meaning the Islanders will need a furious push to move from 10th place.

“Every game here on in is big,” Nolan said. “It’s about the will to battle. For whatever reason, we didn’t do it.”

Bill Guerin became the second Islander to score 20 goals this season, tying the score at 1 on a power play chance 8:30 into the second. That answered Jeff Carter’s one-time goal, though it was the only goal Martin Biron allowed. The netminder recorded 33 saves as the Flyers point total increased to 64.

“We sustained a lot of pressure all game but we didn’t get much out of it,” said Guerin, who became just the second player in league history to register 20-goal seasons for six different clubs. “We’ve got to do better at finishing around the net. We caught a couple of tough breaks at the end that put us behind.”

Brendan Witt returned after missing the past eight games with a sprained MCL, logging 18:21 of ice time. His presence contributed to a disciplined effort that featured just one penalty though Witt and defense partner Radek Martinek were on the ice when Carter converted on Scottie Upshall’s pass from behind the net.

“Today was a big game and it closes the window even more for us,” Witt said. “We’re playing for our lives right now. If we get a winning streak, we’re back in the thick of things.”

Coburn still was able to capitalize on the only infraction, blasting a one-timer from the circle off Daniel Briere’s point pass to put the Flyers up 2-1. Carter facilitated the insurance marker on a key play midway through the final period.

After Lasse Kukkonen shot the puck over the glass for a penalty, the Islanders were in position to tie the score by playing up a man. Instead, Nolan could only watch as Carter stole the puck from Miroslav Satan and skate in for a breakaway.

Rick DiPietro stopped Carter’s attempt and a second chance as it went to the corner. Knuble skated to the net and received a bit of luck after Carter’s pass hit him and went past a surprised DiPietro with 10:29 remaining in the contest. Upshall added an empty net goal in the final minute.

“I was trying to shoot it and it was knocked down and then there was a chase for the puck,” Satan said. “I felt like we pressured for most of the game. We should have put more in. With one goal, you’re not going to win.”

Satan, who was playing the point on the power play, said the unit is playing with confidence. But Knuble’s tally marked the NHL-worst 15th short-handed goal the Islanders have surrendered this season, which could mean a quiet April without a quick rebounding starting Sunday against the Panthers.

“It seems like their penalty killers are jumping on the top guy, and that's happened a few times to us,” Satan said. “It’s happened a few times. We have to make better plays.”

Playing in his 14th straight game, DiPietro stopped 27 of 30 shots as his team lost for the third time in four games. Nolan said DiPietro, who declined to address the media after the game, will not play against Florida in order to attend the wake of his grandmother. Wade Dubielewicz is expected to get the start.

Biron started for the third straight game after splitting regular duty with Antero Niittymaki most of the campaign. He won for the second straight game after losing in his previous five appearances, holding the Islanders scoreless on 11 shots in the final period.

“We got a lot of shots, just not too many second chances,” Witt said. “Guys are working hard. It would be one thing if you didn’t see guys care. The guys do care here. It would be nice to get a point out of this. Now we’re going to have to go on a run.”

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