Islanders News: Clutterbuck on hitting; Strome patient; Spano film

The Islanders are back at it tonight when they host the Edmonton Oilers, a better opponent than Tuesday night but hopefully a road-weary one. Some various items to read while warming up your angst:

• Cal Clutterbuck on getting his legs back, and why he hits a lot. [Newsday]
• The Islanders coughed up a should-be regulation win the other night. So the official site focused on how they stuck up for each other 'n stuff.
• Jack Capuano: “I thought we played a good game [...] It was a little wide open for me, but the things and details we discussed with our guys this week, I think they did well.” Despite the disappointing ending and killer mistake by Brian Strait, Capuano is probably right.
  
• Chris Bruton is nursing an injury, so Bridgeport recalled Nick Larson from ECHL Stockton and assigned defensemen Mike Dalhuisen and Mike Keenan there. [BST] Fornabaio quotes Scott Pellerin explaining the light Bridgeport schedule means the two D-men need to get some work in California.
  
• Meanwhile, Ryan Strome remains patient. [BST]
• He needs to be, given how bad the Bridgeport power play has been. [CT Post]
• The Spano film is coming, the Spano film is coming! [IPB with the trailer]
• Justin Bourne ranks the top 10 best skaters in the NHL, sponsored by some kind of car. You might be bummed that Grabner is only second (so, better than a Lexus?), but they're all flat-out burners.
• You can never have enough Jiggs McDonald. [Dump and Chase Podcast]

Around the NHL

• Tonight's opponent is shopping for a goalie? [ESPN bits]
• Also on the Oilers, is their fourth line as bad -- relative to others -- as people think? [mc79hiockey]
• Don't care who's most expensive or cheapest: NHL ticket prices are downright pricey.
• "Seven games into the season, Konopka has been one of the Wild’s most pleasant surprises." [Star-Tribune]
• Bull Moose returns: Tim Thomas to start against Bruins on Thursday night - SBNation.com
• Chowder: On Human (Sports) Nature, and the Process of Letting Go - Stanley Cup of Chowder
• This is gross but will teach you about staph and herpes and other hockey equipment things.
• Mayo Clinic on hockey and brain damage: "We need to take action now."
  
• Logan Couture on Maxim Lapierre's latest: "After the first shift, (Lapierre) is yelling at us from their bench ... that he's coming after us," Couture said. "Then he does that. I don't even know. It's pretty gutless. And he turtles. Be a man if you make a hit like that. Fight someone.
• From the same link, Ken Hitchcock uses the magic words: I don't think [Lapierre's hit] had anything to do with the outcome today. One team played hard and smart."
• On that note: This is a case I often raise, though it's complex when you have a 700+ body of people: It's time for the NHLPA to take control of its players - SBNation.com
• Or, you know, they can just have Matt Cooke tell players how to de-jackass.
• Paul Holmgrem on Chris Pronger. (Remember, it's only horrible, game-defiling cap circumvention if the Isles do it.)
• Fancy statism: Is Corsi really as predictive as we think? - SBNation.com
• "Historically, a bad first month to the season is not a death sentence." [ILWT]

FIG Picks

Leave your First Islanders Goal picks for tonight's game over here.