Islanders Gameday News: Strome regroups, Williams shuts out, Bruins arrive with Hab scars

The New York Islanders host the Boston Bruins tonight, and the visitors are kindred spirits: The Bruins just got punked in Montreal, dropping a 2-1 third-period lead, giving up the winner with a minute left, and ultimately losing 4-2. REAL NHL teams never do that.

Leave your First Islanders Goal picks for tonight's game here. It's a 5 p.m. start.

Islanders (and Tigers) Reads

• What's wrong with the Islanders? Lots of things are off. Garik16 goes into the data. (Warning: There are a couple of charts and they may offer other info than your brilliant Twitter opinions. Sorry, not sorry.) [LHH]
• Mike has this week's power rankings -- the Isles are where you *and* the media would expect -- and explains his methodology in this week's post. Ask him questions there.
• Josh Bailey, who's been there, has words of advice for Ryan Strome, and the Isles are likely to have Kyle Okposo and John Tavares reunited today. [Newsday]
• This is video of Linda Cohn following Johnny Boychuk and teammates on their LIRR commute to Barclays Center, plus a little basketball too. [ESPN video]
• The Sound Tigers have the AHL's leading scorer and his name is Joe Whitney, an AHL all-star and general lover of hockey. [CT Post]
• They won 4-0 last night, getting revenge on Springfield and seeing Stephon Williams record his first pro shutout. [BST | CT Post]
  
• They had a new guy in the lineup (one assist), by the name of Strome. Ryan Strome. He's looking to spend more time on the puck. [CT Post | Newsday | LHH]
• Speaking of slumping but highly touted youngsters, Michael Dal Colle scored twice in Oshawa's win. [Durham Region]
• On the nature of trusting the long-term stats data, while enjoying the short-term unpredictable ride. [Altar of Bossy]

Beyond Brooklyn, er Bridgeport

Nothing is ever good enough: The Canadiens' NHL-best record masks some troubling trends. [HEOTP]

There is a mystery team purusing Patrick Marleau hard, but he has a no-trade clause and loves living where he is. [Fear The Fin] (So if the team isn't the Isles and the team doesn't somehow get it done then everyone should be fired.)

By the way, the Sharks no longer fill the building. Blame Yormark. [Fear The Fin]

Sergei Fedorov is entering the Hall of Fame. His defection story isn't quite as dramatic as your Stastny or Klima or Mogilny, but it's worth telling. [NHL]