Islanders Gameday News: Cizikas charges, Karate kicks, Montoya starts, Johnny up

The Islanders host those surging, Price-fueled Canadiens tonight, though at least Montreal isn't starting their Goalie Jesus.

Leave your FIG Picks here.

Some o' dat Isles Readin'

• Casey Cizikas is eager to show he can bring it for all five years of his big contract. [Isles]
• Ho-oh-ome, not staying home aga-ain. Johnny Boychuk likes to jump up when he ca-a-an. [Newsday]
• The Karate Kid is getting his Isles bobblehead and it’s actually pretty cool and crane-tastic. [LHH | @nyislanders | NHL]
• The SNY Point Blank podcast gets all icy. [SNY]
• The Habs are playing the first of a back-to-back and will start ex-Isle Al Montoya tonight in Brooklyn. [HEOTP | AP]
  
• If you think Sound Tigers coach Brent Thompson has a scary sailor's voice, well here's your chance to enjoy it through a mic'd up practice. [Sportzedge]
• Meanwhile, here's an episode of Tiger Trax, which will air during occasional Isles intermissions on WFAN this year. [Twitter/SoundCloud]
• And here's a prospect report on the whole farm system. [Isles]
• Mitch Vande Sompel will represent the OHL in the Canada/Russia Super Series. [Oshawa Generals]
• The Ladd's Leaders program was created to recognize the amazing contributions of these young people and to reward them for their efforts. [NHL/Isles]

Beyond Brooklyn

• Elliotte Friedman’s 30 Thoughts include lots from Eric Nystrom on his (and his dad’s urging of) plans for after his playing career. Also some tepid talk of Seattle expansion (related to this angle), among other topics. [Sportsnet]
• Goalies aren't supposed to lose their teeth -- they have masks for that! -- but Ben Bishop did anyway, courtesy of Peter Holland. [Yahoo video]
• These eight teams have been left out of the NHL's outdoor game fan and the whole system is rigged, I tell ya, rigged. [Sportsnet]
• Brian Elliott returned to St. Louis to beat his former team and hear "Moooooose" chants from the fans, Steven Stamkos was booed in Toronto until he scored on his first two shots, Sidney Crosby scored in his return from concussion, and poor Malcolm Subban was pulled from his second NHL start. [Sportsnet]
• Matt Moulson scored twice again -- he's off to a good start, hopefully a rebound season -- but the Sabres blew a 3-0 third-period lead to lose to the Flyers via shootout. [Die By The Blade]

Karate Rap

I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast, but there's no way we're referencing karate without having the shogun/ninja invite "everybody to come train karate...train your body." If you've somehow never seen this you can send me a check now because I'm going to change your life...and your body: