Islanders News: Oil slick, Bailey belief, Bellows blazing, Dal Colle scratching

The Islanders lost in overtime last night — it felt like we deserved more than 38 seconds of entertainment the way that one began — but stayed in fourth in the Metro and just two points out of first.

A couple days off now before two tough ones: Friday and Saturday in Dallas and St. Louis.

Islanders Reads

• About last night: It was an entertaining game, the Isles probably deserved better, Cam Talbot held on long enough for the Oilers to win the extra point. [LHH | Newsday | Post | Isles | Copper & Blue | Oilers Nation | Sportsnet]
• Some streaks ended. Barzal’s continued. [NYI Skinny]
• Highlights from Casey Cizikas being mic’d up last night. [MSG video]
• Revisiting Josh Ho-Sang’s habits that got him in dutch with the coach (but once refined, will probably get him back too) [LHH]
• The prospects are doing alright: Kieffer Bellows on an 11-game streak [Isles] and David Quenneville had two goals in Canada’s loss to Russia in the junior series. [NHL.com]
• Jordan Eberle was looking forward to playing his old team last night. (He delivered.) Ryan Strome too. [Newsday | Isles | NY Post]
• With Josh Bailey’s hot start building off last season’s breakout, Doug Weight talks about what’s changed in a “meteoric rise” ... [Post]
• ...and Chris Botta talks to 08-09 Isles vets Brendan Witt, Bruno Gervais and Bill Guerin about believing in him from the days he was rushed to the NHL. [SNY]
• It’s gonna be a four-part bobblehead series for the Sound Tigers. [BST]
• Meanwhile in the lineup, Michael Dal Colle may face a second consecutive healthy scratch? [Soundin’ Off]
• Yes, probably. Brent Thompson says it’s a process, to hopefully get Dal Colle to a long career in the NHL. [CT Post]
• Down Goes Brown recalls the golden era of three-way deals, including a few involving the Islanders. (You can probably guess one; the others might be more obscure.) [Sportsnet]

Elsewhere

• Yet more insight and some great quotes about how the Matt Duchene - Kyle Turris three-way trade went down. [Friedman 31 Thoughts]
• Heading off to Sweden with his new team to play twice against his old one, Matt Duchene is looking to fit in with the Senators. [NHL]
• Matt Martin talks thoughtfully about dealing with frequent line juggling, and different approaches with different lineups. [Sportsnet]
• The Ducks will be without Ryan Getzlaf for two months thanks to a facial fracture. [OC Register | SB Nation]
• The cautionary tale of pending free agent Erik Gudbranson, whom the Canucks should consider a sunk cost. [NHL Numbers]
• Yes, the NHL has actually put the Blackhawks and Bruins in a Winter “Classic” again. Getting old? No, long past old. [SB Nation]
• These three coaches on the hot seat? New York, Carolina, Edmonton. [ESPN]
• Flames prize Sam Bennett entered last night without a single point in 14 games...and counting (make it 15 now). [The Athletic (sub.)]
• At least they got Jaromir Jagr back though. [Sportsnet | NHL]
• The Ducks reportedly tried to trade for Vadim Shipachyov but that bonus thing got in the way. [Anaheim Calling]

Not Only But Also

Not Hockey: I’m constantly amazed and perplexed by my many friends who are into pro wrestling entertainment, and I’m sure that makes me a soul-less person. But if you’re among them, you probably watched the Ric Flair 30 for 30 and might like this review. [SB Nation]