Islanders News: Alright, fine. I'm walking out of here right now thinking you paid a thousand dollars for this jacket.

Thursday's shootout loss was a tough one for the Islanders, who are now in third place in the Metro Division after the Capitals beat Montreal in a shootout of their own. Also, this happened. In other words, Happy Friday, everyone! Go forth and drink (responsibly).

Islanders links

• Recaps: LHH | Newsday | Islanders | NHL.com | NYI Skinny
• Frans Nielsen is battling injuries but is playing because he is a tough Danish bastard. [Newsday]
• Two weeks ago, John Tavares was in a slump. He's not any more. [NY Post]
  
• Stephon Williams is on his way from college to the AHL after signing an ELC with the Islanders. [LHH on the future of BST goalies | Alaska Dispatch News and the Newsminer on their hometown boy | Islanders official announcement]
  
• Make Room for Goalie and other Sound Tigers news. [CT Post]
• Bridgeport captain Aaron Ness is the team's Man of the Year award winner. [BST | and the other team winners]
• Michael Dal Colle had a goal and two assists as Oshawa took a 3-1 lead on Peterborough. [Durham Region]
• Niagara tied its series with Ottawa at 2 games apiece and Josh Ho-Sang scored his first of the series in Game 4. [Ottawa Sun]
  
• A quartet of Islanders visited Winthrop University Hospital back in March. Garden City News travels slow.
• Third String Goalie looks at Kelly Hrudey's final season as an Islander and trade to Los Angeles.
• Your new favorite Twitter account is here.

Elsewhere

• The verdict is in and Dustin Byfuglien will sit for four games for trying to decapitate J.T. Miller. He'll be back for the Jets' final game of the season. [Arctic Ice Hockey | NHL.com | DOPS]
  
• With an assist in the Panthers win, Jaromir Jagr tied former teammate Ron Francis for fourth on the NHL career scoring list. [NHL.com]
• What should your team be afraid of come playoff time. How about just clinching them first? [SI.com]
• Pittsburgh might be in some cap trouble next season. [Pensburgh]
  
• Escaped Penguin Simon Despres talks about life on the Left Coast. [The Hockey Writers]
  
• What the hell are those ice crews actually doing out there? And why do some wear less clothes than others? [NY Times]
• "Team Practice" has a different meaning for goalies. [NHL.com]
  
• Tank paranoia is overblown and changing the system for a once-a-generation event is unnecessary. [Puck Daddy]
• Your Hobey Baker finalists are Jack Eichel and two other guys who won't win. [SBN College Hockey]
• Our friends The Royal Half blow the lid off a social media SCANDAL! The Ducks' mean tweets aren't real tweets.
• The NHL hates it when people talk about tanking... unless it can help them sell shirts. [SB Nation]