Splinters: We are all Islanders (except Hat Trick Blake. He's a Leaf)

It's funny: early this week, Newsday -- "Long Island's newspaper" -- did not have a single story in its print edition previewing the Islanders-Rangers game, which is only the biggest rivalry left during a basement-dwelling season. But let word out of the Islanders playing one exhibition game in Kansas City, and boy, Newsday is ALL OVER it like a supermarket rag on Bennifer-gela-pitt ... or something.

The best reaction was on Botta's blog from The Metal Chick (Chris TMC) -- the tireless Islanders Mania message boarder -- who described the situation like this:

"I think what's happening here is a bit more like a woman letting a guy take her to a ritzy dinner when she knows that she isnt going to get serious with him once the check is paid. She doesn't mind because she gets treated nice, and he doesnt mind because hey - at least he feels like he has a chance."

Like, so all those dinners were for nothing?! I'm such a heel.

Links from around the Island after the jump. As always, feel free to add more in comments. I'll try to do this as often as I can through RSS and random luck. It's shamelessly modeled after PPP's "From the Branches," (note Blake's 5-point night), though I won't be as religious about it as Chemmy, who is fueled by blog enhancing substances, nor PPP, who is, after all, just a puppet ...

• Tiger Track takes on this very issue, with a pic of the Newsday K.C. panic.
• Okposo Net is glad he went long on his blog's name: the kid's a keeper.
• I linked to this in the game thread, but now here: Forever1940 asks who has the worst career save percentage (minimum 10 games). Hint: a Nordique.
  
• 7th Woman has quick hits from the post-game presser, and the grapefruit-sized welt on Okposo's jaw. (Yeah, he IS a keeper.)
• Yes Islanders! (Dragonfly) says the Modell's ticket special was a bit of a mess, despite the nice attendance boost.
  
• Islanders Outsider covers K.C., Dubie, the Hobey Baker winner we acquired -- and he'll be on the HNLI show Saturday (guest: John of In Lou We Trust -- boooo, hiss! move the Devils back to K.C.!)
  
• Still Drivin' is not drivin' to K.C.
• Isles Official is heading to see the SoundTigers with Tiger Track Tom.
• NHL.com has a nice feature on Mark Streit, former minor league teammate of Briere (Carson voice: "I did not know that.")

Happy weekender, all.