Islanders Gameday News: A New York Battle for...?

A few weeks ago, tonight's final Battle of New York was supposed to be to settle home ice advantage for the inevitable Islanders-Rangers playoff series that was inevitable and owed according to the prophecies of the hockey media.

Then those bastards from Pittsburgh spoiled the party.

Anything can still happen -- including the Isles reclaiming home ice and second place in the Metro from the Penguins -- but most of those scenarios are unlikely. Tonight probably means little. Leave your FIG picks over here.

Islanders Readings

• Here are the scenarios for who needs to do what to finish where. [NYI Skinny]
• But no really, might both teams prefer to lose tonight? [Post]
• No, because both teams still want home ice. [Daily News]
• Five reasons the Islanders made the playoffs. [Compton]
• ...which is an achievement you should take a moment to enjoy, by the way. [LHH]
• It's not just playoff time for the Isles. Several of their prospects are still at war, to. [LHH]
  
• Power rankings and pundit roundup for you, second last of the season. [LHH]
• Playoff talk on the IPB podcast. [SNY]
• And more on the IslesBuzz podcast. [HockeyBuzz]
• The dance is a good thing. [SNY]
• It's been a battle through injuries lately to get here. [AP | Newsday]
• But that's created awesome moments for kids like Christopher Gibson. [Isles]
• With Gibson up with the Isles, Parker Milner is with the Sound Tigers, and...if they make the playoffs they may get either Michael Dal Colle or Joshua Ho-Sang. [Soundin' Off]
• At age 18.5 Parker Wotherspoon became the youngest-ever Sound Tiger, and he impressed in his debut. [CT Post]
• A Feud! Okay, not really. Syosset native Florida Panthers owner Doug Cifu took some heat for daring to say he supposed he'd kind of prefer to face the Isles in the first round. [Newsday | Sportsnet]
• More about the awesome plan for tons of Isles legends to celebrate Al Arbour. [NHL]
• Enjoy yourself a look at several vintage Denis Potvin jerseys. [Third String Goalie]

Those Other Teams

• Wayne Gretzky says scoring is down because creativity is gone and also forwards are taught to play a little defense. [Times]
• Tom Gulitti says farewell, recalls memories from the beat, as he transitions to NHL.com. [Fire & Ice]
• The crazy OHL situation in Flint is now a five-year ban for the owner. [SB Nation | THN]
• The Oilers had an amazingly long ceremony for the closing of Rexall/Northlands/Skyreach/Edmonton Place/Coliseum, but this rundown of memories is shorter and better. [Copper & Blue]
• Bob McKenzie polls People In The Know on who should get awards. [TSN]
• An interview with NY Riveters coach and GM. [Today's Slapshot]
• John Scott shall go home happy. [Sportsnet]
• What if MLB teams used NHL goal horns for home runs? [Puck Daddy]