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St. Louis Blues (30-26-9, 11th/W) at New York Islanders (26-32-8, 14th/E)

7 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Coliseum | MSG+, radio

Ribald band of Blues brothers: St. Louis Game Time

Islanders Gameday: Life without Schremp

posted by Dominik about 5 hours ago

 

Complete Coverage >

Ty Webb: You've got to win this hole.
Danny Noonan: I thought winning wasn't important--
Ty Webb: --Me winning isn't. You do.
Danny Noonan: ... Great grammar.

Blake Comeau is said to be ready to go. Still one more hole at forward to fill. Mix and match, match and mix. Ten games on the league docket tonight. I see tank people.

My entrails like details / Left and forgotten
My saddle like a battle / Lost in the past
When they said skidattle / I came home fast

Came home alive
But not entirely well --
Most folks couldn’t tell...

>>The Hoagland Conspiracy, "Home Alive"

The Islanders have five regulation wins in 2010. Every one except the Jan. 6 squeaker in Denver has come on home ice. The Flyers aren't kind, the road isn't kind -- hell, NHL hockey games have not been kind to the Islanders lately.

Here's hoping they come home alive.

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New York Islanders (26-29-8, 12th/E) at Atlanta Thrashers (27-24-10, 10th/E)
7 p.m. EST | [Some brand or something] Arena | MSG+, radio

FREE NHL Center Ice on cable
Post-Ilya Survivors: Birdwatchers Anonymous

Islanders Gameday: Who dat gonna stop Blake Comeau?

posted by Dominik about 5 hours ago

29 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Don't forget: NHL Center Ice is free this week on most cable systems. So if you're out of market and don't normally get the games, or if you're in market and this game stinks (though usually NYI-ATL is a fun watch), there are alternatives, like watching Edmonton's sub-Switzerland defense.

Dylan Reese's NHL debut. Health scratches are...EDIT: Do not adjust your TV. It's Jeff Tambellini. And in goal...Roloson.

Now that I've cleaned up, gone legit
I can see clearly: Round hole,
Round whole, square peg don't fit.

>>TV on the Radio, "I Was a Lover" | In honor of the NHL's square pegs moved on Trade Deadline Day.

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Chicago Blackhawks (41-15-5, 2nd/W) at New York Islanders (25-29-8, 13th/E)

7 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] V.M. Coliseum | MSG+, radio

Feathers, not dots: Second City Hockey

Islanders trade Andy Sutton to Senators for San Jose's 2nd pick

posted by Dominik about 5 hours ago

96 comments | 0 recs

Islanders Gameday: Blackhawks in, and Andy Sutton...?

posted by Dominik about 6 hours ago

28 comments | 0 recs

Uphill Test: Islanders' final 20 games

posted by Dominik 1 day ago

69 comments | 1 rec

Complete Coverage >

Looking at the schedule, we always knew this day would be crazy, but damn: A trade, some rumors, and the small little matter of a game involving a whole lot of returning Olympians.

For those of you arriving without following hockey news all day, there actually wasn't a whole lot of movement outside of the Andy Sutton trade. You may hear of rumors about Dwayne Roloson to Philadelphia that got a lot of traction. I wouldn't say there's no smoke there, but the strongest-sounding rumors -- that a deal was all but sealed -- appear to be unfounded, as refuted by multiple MSM sources including: Bob McKenzie, beat guys for the Flyers Anthony SanFilippo and Tim Panaccio, and Katie Strang and Arthur Staple at Newsday.

As to the voracity of the original rumors? Well, Garth Snow and company have reason to misdirect, and staffers have motive to play; I'm not too worried about trade details until they're signed off by the NHL anyway. It's fun trying to figure what's what this time of year.

Almost lost in this shuffle? Rick DiPietro was placed on IR, retroactive to before the Olympic break. Dustin Kohn comes back up to replace Sutton, leaving the islanders at a 22-man roster heading into tomorrow's deadline.

This is the Lighthouse Hockey game thread. You can chat the game up, trade links and gossip, maybe discuss your favorite fruitcake recipe. New visitor? Fine time to take the plunge in comments; just be cool to your fellow fan, or be elsewhere.

Next Game

                

Ottawa Senators (35-22-4, 5th/E) at New York Islanders (25-28-8, 12th/E)

5 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Vets. Mem. Coliseum | MSG+, radio

Home of Campoli: Silver Seven

Islanders Gameday: Let's Exhaust the Olympians

posted by Dominik about 2 hours ago

Time for me to make some friends here; Trent Hunter has to go!

FanPost posted by Chickendirt about 19 hours ago

9 comments 

Complete Coverage >

Mrs. Lighthouse and I, we're not into the commercialized, price-gorging practices of this greeting card company "holiday." What a load of bull! This is "Mrs. Lighthouse" speaking: The truth is he's worn me down with years of rants about the absurdity of what he calls "one corporation developing its own cottage industry to tell us when and how to treat our loved ones," so I don't even bother anymore. Really, he just hates paying a premium for flowers. Cheap Czech.

But we do try to get out and so something (not Hallmark-oriented) nice on a Sunday afternoon. So I may not be around for the game thread, thinking two afternoon games in one supposedly special weekend might be a bit much even for me.

Whether I make it here or not, here's your game thread, greeting card free. Be yours to hold it high. And hey, you NHL Olympians: Be careful out there.

Next Game

                 

Tampa Bay Lightning (26-22-11, 9th/E) at New York Islanders (24-28-8, 13th/E)

2 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Vets. Mem. Coliseum | MSG+, radio

Now 100% less Barrie: Raw Charge

Islanders Matinee: Limping to the Olympic break

posted by Dominik about 12 hours ago

Complete Coverage >

Rick DiPietro misses this weekend with the Biron1 Showcase1 flu, so today the Martin Biron Trade Showcase Week continues. Get your tickets, make your offers, if Dominic Moore is still worth a second-round pick, then I'm not gonna part with this shiny piece of vintage Biron for just your average Dawes and Drury, ya hear?

Idle reading: A modest proposal from Copper & Blue's Derek Zona for NHL division realignment, that's surprisingly simple an dashingly lovely, in that it restores the Patrick Division and brings the Capitals home -- one of my longest-running crusades. For something completely different that is interesting in concept but needs revisions (in my book), check out Raw Charge's proposal from last fall, focusing on changing the assumption that the conferences should be split by East/West.

Here is your Lighthouse Hockey game thread, for in-game chat, emoting and general tomfoolery. When it's a Saturday matinee, sometimes there's bacon.

Next Game

                  

New York Islanders (24-27-8, 13th/E) at Pittsburgh Penguins (35-22-2, 4th/E)

7:30 p.m. EST | [Igloo once and forever] Arena | MSG+2 (twice the plus!), NHL Network, radio

Send shovels and hot cocoa to: PensBurgh

Islanders Gameday: Matt Martin snowstorm hits Pittsburgh

posted by Dominik about 5 hours ago

 

Complete Coverage >

NOTE: This game is also on NHL Network in the U.S.

Nothing new as this post was being scheduled, although if you saw the game preview early, you might have missed that Mark Katic's evaluation did not go well and season-ending surgery is the plan.

The Penguins opened the gates to the Igloo early due to the Snowpocalypse 2010. Hopefully the Isles do their part to make it a quiet crowd. (Hey, you gotta try...)

This is your game thread. How about a Fresca?! Hmm? Hmm?

Next Game

                

Nashville Predators (31-22-4, 8th/W) at New York Islanders (23-27-8, 13th/E)

7 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Vets. Mem. Coliseum | MSG+, radio

Masters of the Small-Market Defense: On the Forecheck | On the Glass | Sect. 111

Islanders Gameday: To catch a Predator; Biron is in

posted by Dominik about 11 hours ago

94 comments | 0 recs

What to Expect: Matt Martin's 1st NHL game

posted by Dominik 1 day ago

66 comments | 0 recs

Changes Incoming: Matt Martin, Jesse Joensuu to join Islanders

posted by Dominik 2 days ago

34 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Doug Weight out, Martin Biron in. Katie Strang reports [$5 please] that Jesse Joensuu's parents are in attendance, while Matt Martin's parents are snowed in for their son's NHL debut.

The Islanders have scored 27 goals for Martin Biron this year in 17 GP (15 starts). They have also scored 10 goals in their last eight games. Either something's got to give, or tonight is negative zero times infinity.

This is your game thread. Unsecured objects may shift during flight.

Next Game

                  

Carolina Hurricanes (20-30-7, 29th) at New York Islanders (23-26-8, 27th)

7 p.m. EST | Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Vets. Mem. Coliseum

MSG+2 (twice the plus!), radio

Trying to pad their Legace: Canes Country

Islanders Gameday: It's just the Hurricanes...right?

posted by Dominik about 12 hours ago

26 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Nice news albeit cautious news: Newsday's Katie Strang reports Jack Hillen looks good and even expects to resume skating within a few days. Still will skate with robotic facial protection and is good ways off, but the kid skates with such a beautiful stride he belongs on the ice.

Both Strang ($5 please) and Chris Botta (not $5) report Scott Gordon talking a lot about the youth of this team, how they are learning -- essentially, trying to ease the pressure. Lots of talk about "must win" to turn this streak around and get the bubble boost that two points automatically provide when each Eastern bubble team is refusing to take the reins on a nightly basis. I'm still shocked the Islanders remain just five points out of seventh after a six-game losing streak has them three wins under NHL-style quasi-".500." What a year, what a system.

Rick DiPietro gets the Saturday Night Special opposite Justin Peters. Who is Justin Peters? A guy who's not going to replace Cam Ward, for one. Man, getting an NHL goalie job is tough odds.

This is the Lighthouse Hockey in-game thread. For chatting, game commentary, and exchanges of brownie recipes. I will miss most of the game tonight -- hope to be around for the first -- so have fun, behave, and let me know what you see.