Islanders News: Power play needs, praising Arbour, hitting California

It’s Friday and I can confidently say that’s all that matters right about now. The Islanders are back in action Saturday with a back-to-back in San Jose and Los Angeles.

Islanders Reads

• Despite the 1-2-1 record, the underlying numbers smile upon the Isles. So what’s up? Well, you still gotta score, says Doug Weight. [Newsday]
• Ken Hitchcock is reluctantly ready to pass Al Arbour on the all-time NHL coaching wins, and expresses proper respect for the legend. [LHH]
• The IslesSeat podcast talked to Alan Hahn about Belmont, Belmont and Belmont, plus with Jamie Rivers about hockey. [Sound Cloud]
• The Sound Tigers welcome back their patron St. Denis. [CT Post]
• On Worcester Railers radio voice Eric Lindquist. [Telegram]
• Isles draft pick and Chinese star Andong Song, profiled. [WKOW]
• Checking out the latest with the other Isles prospects. [Isles]

Elsewhere

• Last night’s scores: Pittsburgh lost, Dallas lost again, Minnesota finally won, the Panthers are scary, and more.
• Just two games into the reunion, the Canadiens have put Mark Streit on waivers. [TSN | HEOTP]
• Heh. “But the signing of Kevin Shattenkirk has not been the magic elixir, not yet at least. And it has once again left McDonagh without a real top-pair partner...” It’s “an adjustment playing against top-six forwards,” his coach said. [Post]
• Canadian NHL media is often ridiculous, so they grilled Paul Maurice about Dustin Byfuglien fishing on an off day despite being injured. “He didn’t have to wrestle the fish,” Maurice said. [TSN]
• Should the Bruins now be worried about Tuukka Rask? [SB Nation]
• Deciding on a coach’s challenge now is hard. (Good.) [TSN]
• The Blackhawks failed an offside review challenge and then fell apart against the Wild. [Second City Hockey]
• The Doughty vs. Tkachuk The Younger feud continues. [SB Nation]
• Avalanche fans really, really think Adam McQuaid should’ve been suspended for this. [MHH]