At what point do we read Bridgeport's surprising post-New Year surge as a bright sign for the future? While the Islanders squeezed out an OT win yesterday, the Sound Tigers cruised to an 8-1 victory, with Ty Wishart picking up two goals and Micheal Haley picking up three. [Note: With two matinees this weekend, our weekly prospect update is deferred till tomorrow.]

Islanders (23-23-8, 13th/E) vs. Panthers (26-17-11, 7th/E)
3 p.m. EST | MSG+ | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Veterans Mem. Coliseum
The Cats' Meow: Litter Box Cats

After a demoralizing loss to Southeast title rival Washington, the Panthers have reeled off two good wins in a row. Yesterday New Jersey was the victim, leaving the Panthers two points ahead of the now-9th place Caps.

On the Island, the Islanders' search for an answer to their bottom six puzzle continues, with Brian Rolston returning from hiatus yesterday and Rhett Rakhshani taking the healthy scratch. Today is another day, a day that comes all too quickly after yesterday's physically demanding contest.

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This Los Angeles Kings visit comes at the perfect time: It's been way too long since our last on-air Matt Moulson brother-in-law reference.

Islanders (22-23-8, 14th/E) vs. Kings (26-19-10, 7th/W)
1 p.m. EST | MSG+ | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Veterans Mem. Coliseum
Purplish Places: Jewels from the Crown | BOC

There are a few longer-running connections for today's game though, the first being the return of Trent Hunter, who spent a decade in the Islanders organization. Acquired in 2000 for a 4th-round pick, Hunter debuted -- with hair on his head, not on his face -- wearing #43 in the 2002 playoffs. He notched a goal and an assist in his four appearances during that seven-game series. If you have the Islanders Greatest Games DVD, he's in the Bates Penalty Shot game.

Hunter's 2011-12 has been just what you'd fear after the season-ending knee surgery that was likely one reason the Islanders swapped the final two years of his contract for the final one year of Brian Rolston's:

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The standings are tight, the schedule compact: Over the next four days the New York Islanders play three times -- including two afternoon games on the weekend and all at home, where they'll try to improve on the 11-11-5 record that parallels their 11-11-3 road record.

Hockey Club from Montreal* (21-24-9, 14th/E) @ Islanders (22-22-8, 11th/E)
7 p.m. EST | MSG+2 (twice the plus!) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Veterans Mem. Coliseum
Go, go, Gauthier: Habs Eyes on the Prize

Carolina picked up an OT point last night, meaning the four Eastern teams below the Isles (including tonight's opponent) are within two points. One of them, the Lightning, play in the city tonight. Above, the Jets are at Washington and the Leafs are in Philadelphia.

The Islanders' last two games have been disappointing overall performances, but they made it through 65 minutes in each and picked up three of four points. Tonight, like those nights, may turn on how they adjust to life without Travis Hamonic.

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By all rights, the Philadelphia Flyers should be angry and amped for tonight. They're coming off a humiliating weekend -- both on the scoreboard, losing twice to divisional rivals, and in the intimidation department, where they resorted to slew foots, hair pulls, and rookie Brayden Schenn getting sat down by Ilya Kovalchuk.

In come the comparatively pacifist Islanders. Antidote, or...?

Islanders (21-22-8, 12th/E) @ Flyers (30-16-6, 3rd/E)
7 p.m. EST | MSG+ (sans TWC) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
[Fort Someday Win] Center
Two Losses, No Problem: Broad Street Hockey

Ironically none of this season's previous three meetings has played out like any kind of thugfest. The Flyers have dressed Zac Rinaldo once, Jody Shelley once, and neither in the middle game. (Tom Sestito, the hair puller, is their clown of the moment.) With each team winning one in regulation and the Flyers taking the first one in OT, penalties have been light and the only fight was between Claude Giroux and Dylan Reese.

Though intense, it seems these teams are intent to avoid the '80s gong shows and go at it with hockey sticks still in hand. If that changes tonight, it's likely due to humiliation hangover on the Flyers' part.

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You might think the New York Islanders have played pretty well and attained some nice results lately, and you'd be right. Their 6-3-1 in their last 10 -- the Toronto home-and-home being the worst hiccup -- is nice.

But the first quarter hole they dug and the NHL's "The People Demand a Winner" three-point regime means the Islanders are in the East's basement apartments with four other teams whose idea of reaching "the next tier" is catching Winnipeg.

Sabres (21-24-6, 13th/E) @ Islanders (21-22-7, 12th/E)
7 p.m. EST | MSG+ (except in TWC purgatory) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Veterans Mem. Coliseum
Buffalo bloggin': Die By The Blade

Not that the Islanders as a team have looked satisfied lately. It's just good to remember that real success in the NHL means not just winning more often than not over a 10-game -- or even month long -- stretch; it means doing it for six months.

For the Islanders to climb into that next area of "well maybe" playoff aspirants, they have no choice but to keep it rolling tonight against another fellow Eastern basement tenant.

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The Senators are technically the current sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, but we're not going to punish them like that when they're three points ahead of the Southleast-leading (and third seed by default) Panthers. We may punish them for having two more games in the bag than anyone this side of Carolina, but not for competing in a division where playoff spots are earned, not bannered.

Islanders (20-22-7, 13th/E) @ Senators (27-20-6, 5th/E)
[What's a Scotia doing in Ontario?] Center
7:30 p.m. | MSG+ | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Our Coach Will Out-Stache You: Silver Seven

Oddly, this is the first meeting of the season between these the Islanders and Sens, these two clubs who have sipped from the Campoli chalice and found it unfulfilling. In theory, the Sens' playoff hopes (and the Isles' playoff fantasies) could hinge on how these four meetings play out. Knowing the NHL, there will be four games but 11 total points awarded.

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With the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on their All-Star break -- more on last night's AHL All-Star game below -- the Islanders have added intrigue to the second less-than-half by recalling Rhett Rakhshani and Kevin Poulin.

That's in preparation to face the Hurricanes for the third time this month, a month that can go down as a winner (6-5-1 so far) if they avoid a regulation loss tonight. The Islanders won the previous two meetings, though both required extra time so the 2-0-0 record from this angle looks like 0-0-2 from the other side.

Islanders (19-22-7, 13th/E) @ Hurricanes (18-24-9, 15th/E)
[like RBK with a Canadian spelling] Center
7 p.m. | MSG+2 (twice the plus!) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
[Muller sign photo courtesy of Dorfer]
Gleeful about Gleason: Canes Country

Newsday's Arthur Staple had Jack Capuano on yesterday's callups: "Garth [Snow] and I talked about some different situations we'll have to decide on for [game day]." Update: And today, those situations say Poulin starts, Brian Rolston sits, and Steve Staios returns in favor of Dylan Reese.

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The great thing about home-and-homes, and why older fans miss them so, is they carry such easy, built-in psychological incentives. They're mini-series within the slog of a long regular season where 29 mostly inoffensive teams dot the schedule at random.

Familiarity manufactures contempt, and there's no kind of manufactured contempt like the thought of being swept by an opponent in the span of 30 hours. The enticing chance to own an opponent -- the Leafs are 2-0 in the season series -- meets the fear of heading to the All-Star break with the taste of being swept by the Leafs of all teams.

Islanders (19-22-6, 14th/E) vs Maple Leafs (24-19-5, 9th/E)
7 p.m. | MSG+2 (twice the plus!) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Veterans Mem. Coliseum
Preventing Parenteau's Progress: Pension Plan Puppets

For the Islanders, a team that has beaten the Red Wings again and finally kicked the Flyers monkey during its recent run of feel-good results, that kind of step back isn't acceptable. Much like last night's performance.

John Tavares' 12-game point streak was stopped last night, which predictably meant a team that relies too heavily on its top line -- both for production and for minutes -- was shut out for the eighth time this season.

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