Islanders News: Teammates react to Tavares injury, return to practice; Seattle expansion?

Now that the men's semifinals are set for Friday, today at the Olympics it's the women's turn to shine as the U.S. and Canada renew their monopolist rivalry for the gold medal at noon EST. Here is a taste of reading for the sombre Isles fan.

Islanders Reads

• The New York Islanders players returned to practice yesterday. The official site grabbed reactions to getting back in the swing and to John Tavares' injury.
• Oh, yeah, by the way: Tavares injured his knee at the Olympics. MRI expected today. [LHH] UPDATE: The worst (almost): Torn MCL, meniscus.
  
• Bad season, now Tavares is out. Is there a pulse left at the Coliseum? [Save the Isles]
• NEW: Update on something shared in comments yesterday, the Austrians are ticked that their players were out drinking between games with special scorn reserved for NHLers Thomas Vanek (captain), Michael Grabner and the Raffler.
• Joe Finley is back after rehabbing his unique hand injury. Thanks Garth Snow for giving him space to find a fix. [Conn. Post]
• Lots of minor moves from Bridgeport yesterday. [Soundin' Off]
• Here are your OYO lego-like Islanders figurines, even including a Vanek. [OYO]
  

Beyond the Island

• Swiss hockey injured its burgeoning pride at the Olympics. They expected much more than to bow out to Latvia. [NHL]
• Russia too. They're not feeling it after disappointing Putin. And most of them weren't talking to media afterward. Was it a failure to adjust? [IIHF] [NHL] [NY Times] [ESPN] And is their coach crazy? [Sportsnet] [Post] [WSJ]
  
• While Canada had to squeak by a crazy Latvian goaltending performance, the U.S. cruised by the Czechs. [NY Times] David Backes' goal in the final two seconds of the first period was great, and a mortal wound.
• Hey, Phil and Amanda Kessel are siblings. True story. [IIHF]
• Yet more suggestions that the NHL is preparing for expansion movement in Seattle. [Seattle Times]
  
• Great read here: Five years after the Albany River Rats bus crash. [Charlotte Checkers]
  

More from Lighthouse Hockey

Follow @LHHockey Follow @SBNationNHL

• John Tavares Injury: MRI pending after hit to the knee at the Olympics vs. Latvia
• [Olympic Thread + Bits] Men's Hockey Quarterfinals Day
• On NHL Trade Rumors, and the GM-Coach Relationship
• Revisiting the 2010 NHL Draft: Big bodies, curious drops and Brock Nelson