Preseason Gameday News: Kirill on the loose; MSG casting call; United Torts of America

Tonight. Brooklyn. Devils. Islanders. MSG+. Preseason Game 2. Or 3. Because Game 1 was a split squad. So Games 1 and 2... just... there's a game tonight.

Islanders bits

• Can Kirill Petrov go from never-happening to opening night? [LHH]
• Some of the Barclays Center marketing plans were run past Gary Bettman, speaking on behalf of his fellow Islanders fans [LHH]. The article includes this nice review of Monday's game and the Brooklyn experience.
• Arthur Staple's off day Q&A was very Okposo-centric and breaks re-assignment news for ol' Sparky. [LHH]
• Want to be in an MSG Network commercial? Contact James, whose info is in this FanPost. Better hurry; filming is September 28.
• Point Blank podcaster Brian Compton guests at the Isles Buzz cast.
• Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid, who is not playing tonight as previously reported, really should spend less time on the Islanders' Facebook page. [NJ.com]
• The Brooklyn Historical Society is running an exhibit on the Americans and "Hockey's Forgotton Promise." The Brooklyn Paper has a summary of what you'll see.

Other stuff

• Colorado's Erik Johnson has seven more years to get used to the thin air of Denver. [MHH]
• So John Tortorella will be coaching Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey. Whether you agree or not, there's no need to prank his introductory conference call [Puck Daddy]. Sadly, Broad Street Hockey and SBN NHL honcho Travis got caught in the rapscallions crossfire.
• Torts is a busy man, joining the army of new talking heads on NHL Network. [BSH]
• It's a brand new day for the dusty old Devils. [Inside Hockey]
• Strome the Younger is ready to take the desert by storm. [Inside Hockey]
• Thomas Vanek isn't about, like, just goals and points and stuff man. He's left that life behind. [Star Trib]
• Hockey fighters discuss the minimization of hockey fighting. BizNasty on his depression and career crossroads at Puck Daddy | AHL enforcers on the changing times at Syracuse.com.
• Brantt Myhres has been down a very dark path, and he will try to help get Kings players back on the right one. [TSN.ca]
• An important editorial about viewing the NHL through the eyes of a sexual assault survivor. [Anaheim Calling]
• It's also time we stopped assuming law breaking and horrible behavior is only for other sports and not hockey. [WIIM]
• Check out some NWHL preseason action on the cheap. [TSS]