Islanders News: More recalls, Cizikas regrets; NHL playoff picture

The New York Islanders lost in a shootout last night, giving the Washington Capitals a bit of life, while the Isles move on to play in Columbus tonight.

Of more significance than the loss: Michael Grabner and Calvin de Haan went down with injuries, eliciting the recall of Johan Sundstrom and Scott Mayfield.

Islanders Reading

In his notebook for Newsday, Arthur Staple has some interesting thoughts from Casey Cizikas, who admits he took his foot off the pedal, career-wise, this year. And the influx of callups reminds him that his job is not to be taken for granted. Nice assist last night, by the way. [Newsday]:

"Having all these guys here reminds me that any one of them could work harder than me, play better than me and I'll be the one going back to Bridgeport," Cizikas said. "I won't let that [complacency] happen again."

Ryan Strome on facing Washington and Columbus, in the Metro/East playoff hunt [Point Blank]:

"We’ve been beating some teams that have really been in the hunt right now. We know the standings. We know where we’re at, but a lot of guys are in it for next year and trying to earn spots. These guys are pushing for the playoffs, we’re pushing for a job."

• A little more on the injuries, and on Travis Hamonic's "Good Guy" award. [Newsday]
• More on Howie Rose and his takedown of Nassau the other day. [Newsday]
• Kyle Okposo, designer? Buy your KO21 gear here. [Athlete Originals]
  
• How is it going for Andrew MacDonald in Philadelphia? It seems he's being outchanced badly, playing mostly with fellow underwater guy Luke Schenn. [@Drewski89 on Twitter]
• Without Mayfield or Sundstrom, the Sound Tigers lost in a shootout. [Sound Tigers]
  
• Neat detail from yesterday's Bridgeport game, a shootout loss: ATO Josh Holmstrom debuted against his older brother. [Post-Star]
  
• FIG Picks: Leave your First Islanders Goal picks for tonight over here.
• On last night's opponent (but before last night's game): If Capitals fans could only fire one, would it be Adam Oates or George McPhee? [Japers' Rink roundtable]
• The Blue Jackets are coming off an absolute gut punch of a loss, losing in the final seconds to Chicago a few nights ago. [Dispatch]

In the playoff races, Philadelphia lost in regulation to Boston, New Jersey won over Carolina, Toronto lost in regulation to Winnipeg, and Detroit lost in regulation to Montreal. That leaves things looking like this in the East: