[Gameday Bits] Brock the Vote! End Mascot Abuse in Our Lifetime!

It's election day and the Islanders are in Washington. I hear Garth Snow has a secretary named Mrs. McPhee and George McPhee has a secretary Mrs. Snow. It all makes sense now.

FIG votes for tonight's game against the Capitals can be cast here.

Islanders Stuff:

• As the Islanders start their road trip, new guy Thomas Vanek gives NHL.com his impressions after the first week:

"The guys here are very close. There's no separation from the youngest to the oldest guy," Vanek said. "Guys get along, they care about each other and you can see in the games, they play hard for each other."

• And Newsday's John Jeansonne on Vanek's bonding with his new teammates. [New$day]
• NEW! Brett Cyrgalis examines the Islanders options on defense with both Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) and Brian Strait (upper body) still out. [NY Post]
• NEW! Cal Clutterbuck: Elite Penalty Killer that Doesn't Kill Penalties. [Garik via Islanders Point Blank]
• Prepare for legalese and Lockout Flashbacks: Forbes reports that the Islanders and the NHLPA are haggling over where the team's money from Cablevision should be declared, which could affect the player's share of hockey related revenue. [Forbes]
• Into Sound Tigers Cage with the Connecticut Post's Michael Fornabaio: coach Scott Pellerin says Bridgeport's victory over Milwaukee on Sunday was a "character win,"which is a thing coaches say. Also from Friday, Pellerin talks team defense.
• I don't want to make these a habit, but here's an update on Rick DiPietro, who's 0-2 so far with the Charlotte Checkers and still looking to get back to the NHL. [Checkers]

Also on the ballot:

• More Philly Phight Phallout: After watching Ray Emery beat the rap on a technicality, Gary Bettman and the NHL may change the rulebook to make tuning up an unwilling fight partner illegal. Imagine that. [SB Nation]. Over at his TSN column, former referee and Aqua Net enthusiast Kerry Fraser talks about what ref François St. Laurent was thinking by not stopping the mugging earlier. [TSN] Sean Burke calls Emery out for his needless attack. [Fox AZ]
• NEW: Yakupov (or Hemsky?) to the Rangers, yeah? [Cult of Hockey]
• This long Nick Cotsonika interview with Chris Chelios is fascinating and shows a side I don't think many of us thought the venerable defenseman had. Specifically, the side that almost quit hockey to hang out at the beach. [Yahoo!]
• Fear the Fin gives a lot of thoughtful consideration to the shootout beyond the usual, "herpaderp they suck!" How important is it to be good at them? [FTF]

If elected, me and my administration vow to END the scourge of idiot-on-mascot violence forever!