Island Gazing: Tavares' rookie year to match...Hunter's?

I haven't said this in a while, so let me tell you how much I appreciate the discussion that happens around here. People sharing a passion for the Islanders, a willingness to debate calmly, and a tone that generally respects each other, all mixed with various twisted forms of humor. That's the point, and why I do this: Following hockey is supposed to be fun. You help make it so for me.

For now, some links to keep you chewing, hoping, worrying and guffawing:

• More coverage of the win over Ottawa: The Senators blamed a post-clinch letdown | The Daily News (aka Monthly Isles News) framed it as keeping Isles playoff hopes alive | The Post took the "this team is learning" approach, and also highlighted those Andy Sutton's free agency comments.
• Eric's post-game stat trick added a couple more: The Isles have scored three goals in six straight home games for the first time since 2003 | With one more point, John Tavares reaches an Islanders rookie milestone last reached by Trent Hunter (at age 23) and first reached by Billy Harris (21).
  
• If you missed it, a FanShot and link to the video of a fan actually winning the car at the Coliseum the other night. Nice shot.
  
• Bridgeport had a rough Friday and Saturday, but the math still looks promising for their playoff hopes.
• Prospect Playoffs: Travis Hamonic's Wheat Kings are up 2-0 on Jyri Niemi's Saskatoon Blades. ... His Majors are down 2-1, but Casey Cizikas had their only goal in a Game 3 loss. ... This is a couple weeks old, but it talks about how Kevin Poulin -- whose Tigres are up 2-0 in their second-round QMJHL series -- learned quite a bit from his exposure to veterans at Islanders training camp.
• Another look at the Dubie Miracle of 2007, from the eyes of former Leaf Matt Stajan.

And General League Stuff:

• The Bruins have gone from a high-scoring team to rock bottom. And ol' pal Miro Satan has eight goals.
• Broad Street Hockey's response to Brooks' Pronger-as-locker-room-cancer salvo.
  
• Capitals clinched the President's Trophy (a sadly underrated achievement in this shiny Cup-focused league), Vancouver clinched the Northwest, Chicago clinched the Central, the Flyers held serve with a win over Detroit, and Calgary gave back what it gained Friday night.
  
• ESPN's Linda Cohn is a Long Island native who chose poorly.
• Her network chose poorly, by prematurely reporting a new lease in Phoenix. [Globe and Mail]