Islanders News: Bleh versus the Bruins; the Boss is Back; Boychuk's Boys

Public Service Announcement: Saturday's game at Detroit is a 2 pm start, which is really weird.

Islanders links

• Recaps of a Rask-kicking: LHH | Newsday | NY Post | Daily News | NHL.com | Islanders
• Big Zdeno Chara (his full legal name) reflects on the first NHL building he called home. [CSNNE]
  
• It was Mike Bossy Mini Locker Night, but it's never a bad time to talk about the Boss. Video of his meet the press session | Newsday video with archival photos and story with a confident and spunky Boss. | Bossy says he likes this year's team but is saddened by the impending move. [Daily News] | This season has been "surreal." [NY Post]
• Johnny Boychuk - and ONLY Johnny Boychuk - is the reason for the Islanders' resurgence. Only his will and dreamy blue eyes have pulled the franchise from the abyss according to ESPN.
• No, really, it's all Boychuk. Everybody else on the Islanders is a department store mannequin. [Boston Globe]
  
• More on the McGuigan family that was treated to last night's game all the way from PEI. [The Guardian]
  
• Last week's performance puts the Islanders atop our LHH rankings.
• The AHL West is here. The Sharks, Kings, Ducks, Flames and Oilers will have their affiliates in California starting next season [The AHL's announcement | SB Nation]. One of the teams changing hands and locations is the Stockton Thunder. Dom has the basics on what it all means for the Islanders, but we will have much more on this coming up today.
• The Sound Tigers are back and ready to push for the playoffs. Er, good luck guys. [CT Post] But Ryan Pulock nears a return to the ice. [Soundin' Off]
  
• A stat pack for Bridgeport. [BST]
• Notre Dame defenseman and Islanders prospect Robbie Russo has been suspended for two games following a slash on an opponent. [SBN College Hockey]
• This made the rounds a little yesterday, but if you haven't read Katie Baker's requiem for Nassau Coliseum, you should. [Grantland]
  

Around the league

• This shorthanded Oliver Ekman-Larsson goal from his own blue line four seconds into a period is ridiculous. [Coyotes]
• And what the hell was going on in the Predators broadcast? Sounds like... porn? [SB Nation]
• Martin Brodeur retired in St. Louis. Good luck to him at his new job at Walmart. [LHH Zeitgeist]
• There's no shortage of words to be written about Brodeur's legacy, but Greg Wyshynski looks at the Devils fixture from the perspective of a lifelong and often abused fan of the team.
• The article that set the Board of Governors on fire: the NHL could pocket serious money from expansion fees from a Las Vegas team. [TSN.ca]
• OK, for real. What is the deal with Alexander Semin? [TSN.ca]
  
• The scumbags around the NHL that you hate? Sorry. They're here to stay. [CBS Sports]
  
• Penn State likes to put pucks on net. [SBN College Hockey]
• The NHL: America's Sixth Favorite Sport! [SBJ]
• When the Coast Guard had a pro hockey team. [Third String Goalie]
• John Tortorella is coming back to the Lightning... for Hockey Day in Tampa. [Lightning]
• Your new workday plaything: Individual advanced Stats bar graphs from Own The Puck maestro @MimicoHero.