Islanders Gameday News: Ringing out 2015 in Buffalo, remembering its best here

The New York Islanders close out 2015 tonight in Buffalo against the Sabres, who lost 5-2 last night in Washington after entering the third period with a 2-1 lead. Chad Johnson had 38 saves. The Caps are kind of good.

Leave your FIG picks for tonight here. Don't choose Dick Clarke.

Islanders Reads

• In a shock to anyone who witnessed the penalty kill horror of fall 2014, the Islanders PK that took off in spring 2015 is the league's #1 unit in 2015-16. [Newsday]
• Kyle Burroughs has done his time in Missouri and is ready to groove in Bridgeport. [CT Post | BST]
• Here are seven defining Isles moments of 2015, according to the team. [Isles]
• We're running through our own series, and the final game at Fort Neverlose is up there. [LHH]
• Tonight's opponent: Jack Eichel is good. [SB Nation] Tyler Ennis left last night's game with an injury. [NHL]

Beyond the Isle

• Repeat d-bag Brad Marchand is suspended three games for doing Marchand things. [NHL video]
• That means he'll miss tomorrow's Winter Classic. Today, the festival features the alumni and women's games. [NHL]
• Why do baby clothes have pockets? and other key questions. [SBN Blog Council] (I can answer that: Humans become pocket-envious before they even know words. I've seen it.)
• The Puck Daddy 2015 Alternative Year in Hockey Awards have a lot of things worth honoring/recalling. [Puck Daddy]
• Do the Rangers have to trade Keith Yandle and compound their short-sighted tomfoolery? [Blueshirt Banter]
• Speaking of whom...the Lightning weren't winning this one, but this spinning puck sure didn't help. [SB Nation] (The Rangers scratched Kevin Hayes, won, and leaped back into second in the Metro.)
  
• The Blue Jackets have aired all their laundry...they think. [Blue Jackets Extra]
• The day at the WJC was filled with big wins for Finland, the U.S. and the Czech Republic. [HEOTP]
• Patrick Burke discusses bringing the NHL and the women's pro leagues together at the Winter Classic. [Puck Daddy]

Thursday at the WJC

Via Second City, here are today's games at the world junior teenfest:

Schedule

*All times are Eastern Standard