Islanders Gameday News: Look at you, in those candy-ass monkey suits. And I thought I had it bad in Joliet.

The Islanders look to snap their funk at the Madhouse on Madison. Not ideal, but they have no choice. Game time is 8:30. FIG picks go here. Word of advice: there's a good chance the guy you pick could be a healthy scratch.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Islanders links

• From late last night: Jaroslav Halak did not make the trip to Chicago due to an unspecified malady which Arthur Staple reported is not a serious one, so Kevin Poulin has been recalled. [LHH]
  
• The Islanders have lost three straight. Four would be a season high. Don't do that. [CBS NY]
• John Tavares says half of breaking a slump is mental. [Newsday]
• More Josh Bailey love, which includes high praise from his teammates. [IPB]
• CM Punk calls into the Point Blank podcast before the Islanders play his Blackhawks.
  
• This season should do a lot for the Islanders move to Brooklyn. [Puck Daddy]
  
• The Islanders could be an inspiration to the Mets. Much of the commentariat at Amazin Avenue disagrees.
• Craig MacTavish and the Oilers may also be following the Islanders' rebuilding plan. [Edmonton Journal]
  
• A look at three defense prospects that someone, somewhere feels should be traded immediately. [The Hockey Writers]
• Ferris State advances to the WCHA Final Five thanks to a triple overtime goal by Kyle Schempp. [FSU Torch]
• Victor Crus Rydberg scored but the Plymouth Whalers will not make the playoffs for the first time in 23 years. [MLive]
• Nova Scotia is already excited for next season's pre-season game between the Islanders and Hurricanes. [Chronicle Herald]

Beyond the Echo Chamber

• This is a bad play by Max Pacioretty. [Puck Daddy]
• The GMs meetings are going on in Florida this week, but Monday meant talking, golf and celebrating Bryan Murray. [Yahoo | NHL.com on Murray, the guest of honor | Elliotte Friedman looks at some possible cap strife]
• Also going on in Florida are the Panthers goalie tryouts. Follow along on their live blog. [Panthers]
  
• Andrew Hammond and Devan Dubnyk are great stories this season. But how much should they be paid for next season? [Puck Daddy]
  
• Is this the year the Eastern Conference champion takes it to the West? [ESPN]
  
• I mashed the Sharks' drama with The Real Housewives shows. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, consider yourself lucky. [LHH Zeitgeist]
• Old man Justin Williams wants the NHL to bring back ties. [OC Register]
• Serious Understatement Alert: Jordin Tootoo and Derek Boogaard are cautionary tales for used-up hockey enforcers. [Deadspin]
• The 2012 CCHA Tournament was one for the ages. [Hustle Belt]
• Imagine a world in which random hockey players do ads for national companies. It's called "Canada" [Sens]
• Hockey fans on the internet fall into a few categories. [SI.com]
  
• But these are the worst things on the internet. [SB Nation]

Slooooooow Mo Monday with an appearance by John Tavares' OT winner in Toronto.