Islanders News: Backstrom to life, Backstrom to reality

Remember what I wrote in yesterday's Bits about hockey being unbearably evil... Anyway, it's on to Washington for Game 5 on Thursday tied at 2 games apiece. Don't let that score obscure what has been some very solid play from the Islanders throughout the series. No one said it would be easy.

Islanders links

• Recaps: LHH | Newsday | NY Post | NY Daily News | Islanders | NHL.com | Japers
• Lubomir Visnovsky could miss Games 5 or 6 following a huge hit from Washington's Tom Wilson. [ESPN]
• Kyle Okposo offers an apt and quotable description of the often reckless Wilson. [LHH | NY Post]
• So much for home ice advantage [Herrmann].
• Mike Vaccaro on the yin, yang and yyyyyuuuuugggggghhhh of playoff OT. [NY Post]
• The big boys were big for the Caps. [Newsday]
• Brooks Orpik enjoyed a beer on the house as he exited the ice. [Puck Daddy]
• Newsday on stolen seats and bad behavior. I'm shining up my soapbox as you read this.
• Dr. Garik's advice for Game 5: Speed, not size. [Islander Analytics]
• WaPo on the modest and charming Coliseum as the Islanders workplace.
• Prior to the game, the Times profiled the "amiable but intense" Visnovsky. Come back healthy, Lubo.
• Willhoft on the decibels inside the Coliseum. It's the truth, it's factual. [LHH]
• Mikhail Grabovski emphatically shoots down the KHL rumor you didn't even know existed. Normally, we don't deal in this nonsense, but Grabovski addressed it, so we might as well mention it. [Hockey VIPs]
• Eric Hornick takes his seat for the final time (maybe). [NYI Skinny]

Other links

• It's been a long haul for Calgary's Michael Ferland, from sobriety to the playoffs. [NHL.com]
• The Flames run has inspired some truly terrible music from fans. [Puck Daddy]
• On Winnipeg: Taunting Corey Perry by calling him Katy Perry is all kinds of stupid [Sportsnet] | Yes, there are Trashers fans and no, they're not having fun watching the Jets [SBN]
• The Coyotes need to spend money. What's Tim Thomas up to? [Five for Howling]
• Jared Cowan makes a lot of money to not play for the Senators. [Ottawa Sun]
• Some teams want draft pick compensation from other teams for signing their fired front office types. [Lebrun]
• Sportocrat Rene Fasel says NHL players in the 2018 Olympics isn't a guarantee. [CTV Ottawa]
• Mr. Quintal. What is it that you do here exactly? [Flames Nation]