Islanders Gameday News: Game 1 vs. Panthers is upon us

It's going to be a busy two days. Hope you're rested.

Islanders Reads

• Newsday's Arthur Staple called in to our latest Islanders Anxiety podcast.
  
• You probably know the common history for the Isles and Panthers. [Newsday]
• The games will air on WFAN and WCBS. [LHH]
• For either team, the breakthrough will not be easy. [Post]
• No but really, the playoff win drought has to end now. [Brooklyn Eagle]
  
• The Isles' top line -- now with Frans Nielsen -- is three guys who have been through it all with this team. [Newsday]
• How the Isles stuck with Greg Cronin's approach to finally fix their penalty kill. [Times]
• A positional and tactical breakdown of both goalies, with the edge given to Luongo. [NHL]
• Greiss holds the key to the Isles' hopes. [Post]
• Luongo has waited a good long time to play a Panthers playoff game. [Miami Herald]
• And we'll hear a lot about the fourth line, they like this time of year. [Newsday]
• Speaking of which, the Ryan Whitney/Mike Rupp breakdown of each series has tons of praise for the fourth liners. [Players Tribune]
• So a celebrity fan picks the Isles. [Daily News]
• Last night, Dan was on Sports with the StatMan previewing the series and the X-Factors.
• Analyzing the Panthers. [LBC]
• Remembering the original "Year of the Rat," the Panthers' magical 1996 run to the finals. [Miami Herald]
• Ross Johnston getting his NHL debut was awesome, basically. Family made it. [Guardian]
• Michael Dal Colle's team was swept by Joshua Ho-Sang's team, so Dal Colle is headed to Bridgeport. [LHH]

Oh, and in the Games 1 on the first night of the playoffs, Pittsburgh, Tampa and St. Louis won. We had an open thread but you can continue that discussion here too.