Islanders Gameday News: Searching for strength; Jaro on the horizon; Bailey's beard

Game 3 is upon and Brooklyn is primed for some playoff action. Let's hope the team is, too.

Programming Note: The start time for Game 5 will be 3 p.m. on Sunday down in Tampa. That's going to make Mother's Day very, very interesting.

Islanders links

• WHL defenseman Parker Wotherspoon is officially in the fold after signing a three-year ELC. [LHH]
  
• A host of updates from both camps following yesterday's practices. [LHH]
  
• The Islanders want to impose their speed and will on the Lightning in Game 3. [NHL.com | NY Post | Nat'l Post]
• But all this time off between games is cramping their style. [Newsday]
  
• Jaroslav Halak is working his way back to full health and feeling pretty good. [NHL.com | Newsday | NY Daily News]
• Travis Hamonic remains a rock on the blueline. [Newsday]
  
• Josh Bailey tries to do something he's never done before: grow a beard. [NY Post]
• DOCANDEDDIE, YOU TALK ABOUT ALAN QUINE FORMER PETERBOROUGH PETE GETTIN' TO PLAY WITH JOHNNY TAVARES [Peterborough Examiner]
• The players want the Barclays crowd to bring the noise again. [NY Times]
• The move to Brooklyn has been a helluva boon to local businesses, who are packed to the gills with fans spending their cash before, during and after Islanders games. This isn't how Nets fans operate, apparently. [Bergen Record]
• In the words of Aerosmith, the Islanders have been living on the edge all playoffs. [WSJ]
• Brooksie writes about the Islanders and it's... tame? What a time to be alive.
• Shannon Hogan blogs about watching the playoffs, rather than working them. Get her on TV, NBCSN. [MSG Networks]
• Review the Sound Tigers season with these highlights. [BST]
  

Meanwhile

• The Capitals-Penguins series continues to get uglier, and Game 3 featured more nasty hits as Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead in the series with a 3-2 win. [Pensburgh]
• Your Calder Trophy finalists: McJesus, Ghost Bear and the Old Guy. [NHL.com]
• The Maple Leafs have signed highly-sought after Russian defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. [Globe n' Mail]
• Many, many questions and contract await the Blackhawks this summer. [SCH]
• A sad farewell to Hockeenight, a great Blackhawks blog whose sarcastic and satirical voice will be missed. #GorillaSaladForever.
  
• Amanda Kessel talks about her decision to sign with the New York Riveters. If you didn't get to a game last season, Kessel might be a reason to go this season. [Puck Daddy]
  
• Shocking: Years of missing the playoffs have eroded Mike Milbury's memory of how the postseason works. [SBN]