Links: Your New York Islanders take the ice tonight

And here we are. For the first time since April 12, the Islanders will be in uniform for a real game. One we can watch, despite their training camp in absentia. Sure, it won't be all of them -- nor the best of them -- but that's preseason for ya. You can view or discuss that lineup here.

As you might expect, Canada + hockey = coverage. So Hockeyville 2009 in Terrace, B.C., has brought it out in spades. After the jump, some bits from training camp, John Tavares' handshake, and some good weekend opinions on the latest Lighthouse Project developments.

Check here later as we continue the report card series with a guy who is in tonight's lineup. Also, there will be a live, open thread for the game here at Lighthouse Hockey, in case you'll be watching.

• Katie Strang's piece on Tavares settling in with teammates, including new roomie Doug Weight [Newsday]
• Typically, Canadian media has room for more quotes on that topic. [Canwest News Service]
• Strang has been updating fast and furious, but her funniest bit so far was on Tavares' handshake. [Isles Files]
• The delayed start: So it's not just us who get tonight's game on half-hour delay -- apparently even Canada thought a Canucks-Islanders preseason game in prime time was a bit much. Suddenly, I feel like Canada is living a lie. [Vancouver Sun]
  
• Did we mention Canada loves hockey? Terrace, B.C., is part of Canada, and quite gaga over Hockeyville. [Canwest N.S.] [Terrace Standard] Some Canucks had never heard of Terrace, though. [Vancouver Sun] Thousands of Terrace-...Terracians?...turned out to see the Stanley Cup.
• You know who's awesome? Ken Morrow. He discusses Tavares, history, and visiting Terrace for the first time. [NHL.com]
• More Hockeyville coverage at Terrace native Joe Pelletier's Greatest Hockey Legends site.
  

Not Quite So Far West: Meanwhile, in Saskatoon ... if you missed this Newsday piece on Saskatoon's biggest Isles fan, check it out now. Strang only went to a truck stop -- twice -- to deliver it.

Very Far West: FFear the Fin has a great breakdown of what Dan(n)y Heatley means for the Sharks. For me, it means I can no longer hope Sharks fans one day get to taste the prize.

Not West at All: Forever1940 spots the Islanders MSG television schedule for the season: all but three games should have pre-game shows, apparently. And the 9/23 Devils preseason game televised from the Coliseum, too?

...and the Botta post: Richard Park Q&A was great, Mears news dandy -- but I'm just pleased to see Deb Placey back on Islanders telecasts. [Islanders Point Blank]

Lighthouse Project Views

• Nick's plea to Charles Wang: Thank you for all you've done; now please finish the deal. [Let There be Light(house)]
• That followed the hub-bub from last week's Kate Murray/Town of Hempstead stipulations, which were outlined and explained by Kate Murray in this letter to County Executive Tom Suozzi, while the Town of Hempstead was to explain things in this letter to citizens. [Islanders Independent]
  
• Dee asks, "Who is pulling the strings here?" Who indeed. [7th Woman]
• Earlier, Nick assessed the final phase, and inferred the motivation behind Murray's recent move. [Let There be Light(house)]
• An inside view from the Town of Hempstead? B.D. Gallof's source expounds. The P.R. battle from both sides is high-stakes. [Islanders Independent]

All for now. See you later for report cards and for the game -- and BCISLEMAN's report from practice and from watching the game in the park in Terrace.