Islanders Gameday News: A trip out west begins tonight

The Islanders head out west on a four-game road trip to take them into the holiday break, and tonight is their first game against the one-line Avalanche. But, that one line is extremely good - probably best in the league this season. Leave your FIG picks here. 9:00 p.m. start time.

Islanders News

Recaps from Saturday’s thriller against the Red Wings: [LHH | Newsday | Islanders | WIIM]

• Before Saturday’s game, beat writer Andrew Gross penned this column in which he detailed the Isles’ desire for both Mathew Barzal and Joshua Ho-Sang to shoot more. Barzal finished with 7 shots, and Ho-Sang 2 in under 9 minutes of game play. [Newsday]
• Coach Barry Trotz was happy with Ho-Sang’s attention to detail and our own Travis Flynn breaks down what he had learned in his time in the AHL. [LHH]
• The Wings’ Frans Nielsen once called the Coliseum home. It was good to see Fransy again - and he got cheers when his name was announced as a starter. [Newsday]
• The Sound Tigers had not lost in regulation at home in the last 13 games there, having beaten the Springfield Thunderbirds 5-3 on Saturday. Michael Dal Colle added two more goals. [Sound Tigers | CT Post | Soundin’ Off]
• Then, they made it 14 straight after a 1-0 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins yesterday, despite missing Dal Colle, Tanner Fritz, and Seth Helgeson. Chris Gibson had a 33-save shutout. [Sound Tigers | Soundin’ Off]
• Shannon Hogan relives her holiday memories from when she was growing up and announces the big news that she is pregnant and due in May, as you may have learned from Dom’s recap or the game broadcast. [MSG]
• The Maven’s Memory of the week was how Mike Bossy fell to the Islanders, a splendid story that includes both the Maple Leafs and the Rangers passing on him twice. [Islanders]

Not Islanders News

Yesterday’s and Saturday’s NHL scores.

• The Flyers had reportedly decided to fire Dave Hakstol and replace him with Joel Quenneville, according to their local media, but then both the organization and Quenneville claimed this wasn’t true. Sorta seems like it’s gonna happen, but nothing is done until it’s done. [Philadelphia Inquirer] | SBN NHL editor and Broad Street Hockey’s fearless leader Steph has been the first voice on all of this from the very beginning.
• Either way, it seems like Hakstol is done, and GM Chuck Fletcher needs to stop dragging his feet on him. [Inquirer]
• The Capitals hosted the Black Girl Hockey Club for their inaugural outing on Saturday, and the members of the club got to meet players and spent the weekend touring Washington D.C. [NHL]