If you're heading into the weekend pondering whether or not to engage in the bipolar emotions that accompany following the New York Islanders, just remember that both games are matinees and plan your mood regulation accordingly.

The Panthers (Sunday's opponent) beat the Kings (Saturday's opponent) last night in Sunrise, which was probably the worst outcome because the Panthers gain two points and the Kings come to Long Island needing a win that much more.

Saturday is Kenny Jonsson Night (Day), the last of the "Decades Nights" honoring Islanders in their Hall. A few clips are embedded below after the morning links.

Someone tweeted at us a few days ago that with the Islanders blueline injuries they should convince Jonsson to suit up Saturday afternoon. The crazy thing? Jonsson, 37, is younger than Steve Staios.

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There were plenty of links to digest in the morning bits (while we weren't sacking those responsible for site delays) and last night's postgame, but here's plenty more along with our weekly NHL Power Ranking roundup.

• Dylan Reese is out 4-6 weeks with an MCL sprain. Milan Jurcina's elbow will determine whether another callup's needed for tomorrow vs. the Habs; Frans Nielsen's contract extension was formally announced today.
  
• The Skinny from last night's game points out this is just the second time the Islanders have had a five-game point streak this season.
• Afternoon audio: Catch Evgeni Nabokov on @NHLHomeIce at 4:25 with Scott Laughlin and then on @nhllive at 5:25 with @DebPlacey and @KenDaneykoMSG. Also the SNY metro hockey podcast is up.
• Comparing P.A. Parenteau and Matt Moulson from a fantasy point of view. Also from Dobber: Why are there fewer high scorers these days?
• And at Arctic Ice: Fun with charts - Alex Ovechkin: before and after Satan Dale Hunter
• Copper & Blue: Wait, just how much of a draft edge has Ken Holland had?

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Last night's 45-save + 2 shutout of the Flyers was pretty amazing for Evgeni Nabokov, the old dog. But food for thought: Don't judge Nabokov's future based on that game or his past two weeks.

Al Montoya was crowned by fans earlier this season, and Dwayne Roloson was crowned a couple of times over the past two years, and Yann Danis was -- well, never mind but you get the point. I'm doubtful that a meaningful trade opportunity will open up with the goalie market being what it is, but it's the GM's job to at least probe those waters and evaluate his options.

The goofy thing about the Islanders goaltending this year is no one has played enough games for us to really know what they offer, but Nabokov has suddenly played half of the 52 games thus far so his on-ice importance has grown. You're starting to hear people discuss his value on the roster now vs. his value as a trade chip (with a no-trade clause) in a weak market of unknown demand.

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Frans Nielsen has agreed to a four-year, $11 million contract extension with the New York Islanders.

Word filtered out as the Islanders were getting ready to take on the Flyers in Philadelphia. TSN's Bob McKenzie broke the news, then followed up with the yearly breakdown: $2.75 million cap hit, with sequential salaries of $2M, $2.5M, $3M and $3.5M. (The Islanders confirmed an agreement during the first intermission, announcement planned tomorrow.)

This is fantastic news for the Islanders, and an excellent deal for a pending unrestricted free agent who remains at age 27 one of the best defensive centers in the league: Nielsen annually takes on the opposition's toughest lines -- and puts in fantastic PK work -- and comes out ahead. Nielsen would have been difficult to replace, but this ensures the Islanders do not have to break the bank in a futile attempt to do just that.

(Quick reference: The less valuable Joel Ward signed as a UFA with Washington last summer as a center for four years, $12 million. The older Manny Malhotra signed a three-year, $7.5 million UFA deal with Vancouver two summers ago. Neither is as gifted offensively as Nielsen, who has averaged .5 points per game in his NHL career, to say nothing of his helpful shootout prowess.)

Nielsen's current deal (four years, $2.1 million total) turned into an absolute bargain as Nielsen quickly evolved into his current role, and this one keeps Nielsen around at an affordable price through the rest of what are likely to be his best years as an NHLer.

**Update: The big question of the day was answered early. Aaron Ness has been recalled from Bridgeport on an emergency basis.

Ness impressed the Islanders in training camp last fall and has continued to do so throughout the season in Bridgeport, so it will be a deserved big moment for the 21-year-old if he makes his debut tomorrow night against in Philadelphia. [Original morning links post continues below.]

If you're one of our international visitors, you might not realize how big of a deal Super Bowl Sunday has become in the United States.

It's hard to get people to party hard on a Sunday night with work the next day, but this annual commercial fest -- with about 15 minutes of actual game action squeezed in at the end -- can do it, drawing in even the few who care little for the NFL.

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New York Islanders GM Garth Snow was Gary Bettman's guest on NHL Live Thursday night answering questions from the commissioner and co-host E.J. Hradek.

As far as public appearances in guarded on-air mode go, these are usually decent interactions with Bettman since the length of the interviews allows for a little more than the typically canned "working hard" fare.

It also allows for a little chirping, as Maine alum Snow demonstrated when Bettman asked about P.A. Parenteau and Matt Moulson, who Bettman's "a little partial to since he went to Cornell."

Responded Snow: "Oh is Cornell Division I, Gary? I forget."

Full interview is embedded below, along with a separate nhl.com story with Doug Weight on his transition to post-playing life.

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It's Groundhog Day, so Newsday carries a familiar lament from New York Islanders coach Jack Capuano: no secondary scoring. To wit:

"... we can put P.A. [Parenteau] pretty much anywhere we want. He's a gritty guy. He loves to compete and he gets the job done for us. Others have played well, too. But, to me, they pass up opportunities. You look at video and talk to them but, sometimes, they can't be playmakers all the time. They've got to think, 'shot' ...

Below, no sleep till more Brooklyn links, and John Tavares on NHL Live with ol' friend Deb Placey about being the NHL's 26th Star for January:

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Our weekly media and real NHL power rankings surveys are tabulated below, but first we recognize some feel-good news that isn't that surprising unless you've only been reading Evgeni Malkin's press: John Tavares was named the NHL's First Star for the month of January:

In 13 games this past month, Tavares registered 9 goals and 13 assists while displaying remarkable consistency in being held off the score sheet just once. His 4-point night against the Hurricanes marked the sixth time in January he had a multi-point game -- Tavares also had a pair of 3-point games and three 2-point efforts.

Here is the initial FanShot thread for that announcement. Power rankings and commentary is below.

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