Islanders Gameday News: Closing out home schedule with a dash of Gallant

Tonight the New York Islanders play the Ottawa Senators, who employ Chris Neil, who is prone to doing stupid things. So good timing to bring up an AHL enforcer. Neil surely won't fight him, but at least there will be theater for the otherwise meaningless final home game.

• Billed as a Bridgeport team leader and loyal soldier, Brett Gallant is a New York Islander, and Johan Sundstrom is back in the AHL for the second time in four days. [LHH | Soundin' Off | CT Post]
  
• This has gotten some press before, but it deserves more: Matt Carkner working some hockey with special needs kids in Ottawa and on Long Island too. [Isles]
  
• The Isles prospect report focuses on the ATOs who debuted over Bridgeport's 0-2-1 weekend. [Isles]
• Meanwhile, Griffin Reinhart has bragging rights over Ryan Pulock thus far in the WHL playoffs. [Isles]
• The Flames beat New Jersey 1-0 in Newark last night, which means the Smurfs clinch a playoff spot (boo, but already assumed), the Devils are looking dire (yay), and Calgary pulls two points ahead (or behind?) in the draft tank race.
• FIG Picks for tonight: Leave them here or forever hold your peace.

Beyond the Island

• Elliotte Friedman's 30 Thoughts includes some scuttlebutt on coaches and GMs in danger (Spoiler: No mention of Isles brass), and for some reason Ottawa coach Paul MacLean is on the list.
• Oh, but speaking of that, who on earth is counting scoring chances for MacLean this year? [mc79hockey]
• The Ducks gave John Gibson his NHL debut in goal last night, mostly just to taunt the rest of us with how many good goalies they have. (Aside: Assuming Gibson is good. WJC stardom does not a good goalie make. But his AHL numbers have been good too.) Naturally Gibson got the shutout -- the first debutante to do so since Al Montoya in 2009 -- as the game closed with Vancouver fans serenading "Fi-re Gil-lis." (Don't they know it's "FIAR GILISIS"?)
• Anaheim also signed St. Cloud State goalie Ryan Faragher to an ELC, because why not? [Ducks]
• Carcillo, Rinaldo, whatever -- a different era, the same ol' Flyers. Rinaldo is suspended four games, and Patrick Burke sounds just like his father. [NHL]
• Mike Weaver has been a steal of a trade for the Habs, which ticks me off because he's one of those underrated steals I'd have liked to have and who would fit the Isles' typical budget. [HEOTP]
• It's difficult for me to describe just how ridiculous Jeff O'Neill sounded while "debating" Ray Ferarro yesterday. He was throwing out non-facts (O'Neill was already done before Komisarek's last season) and feebly trying to taunt Chicken Parm about his numbers as a Thrasher. Just cringe-inducing, awful stuff. [TSN mp3]
• The infographic comparing Jeremy Roenick and Patrick Marleau that you always wanted. [Fear the Fin]
  
• A long essay on stats vs. traditionalists vs. violence vs. we should all get along really. [jenic13]
  
• Among the things Randy Carlyle might be destroying: Phil Kessel. [PPP]
• Deadspin is the latest to dance on the Leafs' collapse.
  
• Evander Kane was scratched, and his scrum with the media afterward was, well, it wasn't by the book. [Puck Daddy]
  
• The Blue Jackets - Stars replay will be a full 60 minutes, even though they're counting the 1-0 lead Columbus had when it was postponed. That means Nathan Horton could be the only guy to score a goal in a game he didn't play. [SI]
• Ehrhoff, or Ear-Off amirite? [Puck Daddy]