Islanders Gameday News: Coliseum-Barclays timeshare; Lehner returns; Hogan plans

The Islanders are back in action tonight, and could potentially reclaim a share of first place with two points against the Canadiens. The Capitals, two points ahead at the top of the Metro, face the Flyers.

Leave your First Islanders Goal picks for tonight by gametime here.

Islanders Reading

• Shannon Hogan’s baby is due May 6, which means — in addition to happiness and joy (and lost sleep) — well...there may be playoff conflicts. [Newsday] But she’s been balancing work and life. [Newsday video]
• But A.J. Mleczko and Jen Botterill — former college teammates, and Olympic rivals — are prepared to pick up the slack, and will do so on two upcoming broadcasts. [Newsday]
• The Islanders have been struggling...with the lead and in other situations. [LHH]
• NHL Network’s “The Breakaway” features Anders Lee discussing his career, and choosing hockey over football. Warning: It’s animated. [NHL]
• While the Islanders offense has slumped, the defense has upped its contributions. [Newsday]
• Dan and Mike on the Islanders power play, the maddening loss to the Flyers, and a slight change to the Islanders Anxiety podcast. [LHH]
• Meanwhile, the Isle Seat podcast discusses the Isles getting back on track, kind of. [Sound Cloud]
• Robin Lehner returned to practice (and Christopher Gibson was returned to Bridgeport), says next time, he’ll be ready for Brady Tkachuk’s crease crashing, especially since the NHL was totally fine with it. [Newsday | NHL | Post]
• Good to see Lehner back, but also: Thomas Greiss has stepped up at a critical time. [Islanders Insight]
• The timing of an Islanders email appeal to fans to support the Belmont arena initiative “is a bit strange.” [Newsday]

Season ticket holders have been informed: Next season will continue the split of games at Barclays Center and Nassau Coliseum.

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores include the Blackhawks stomping the Leafs (though they let Toronto back into it), and the Devils snapping their slump, but no games of playoff relevance for the Isles.

• Chris “I used to run goalies” Kreider was ejected for a really stupid charging head shot on Elias Pettersson, who unlike Kreider is actually fun to watch. [Post]
• The Flyers’ appeal of the two-game suspension of Jakub Voracek for his reverse hit on Johnny Boychuk was denied. [NHL]
• Elliotte Friedman notes in his 31 Thoughts that it’s very rare for a team to appeal such a small suspension. [Sportsnet]
• The draft lottery is set for April 9. Shouldn’t matter to us, yay! [NHL]
• Inside the frustrating, yet inspiring mess that is women’s pro hockey in North America. [Sportsnet]
• Hockey has long been a domain for white machismo. Can the NHL’s efforts to broaden its appeal and inclusion change that? [Guardian]
• Carey Price has taken over the all-time lead in wins by Canadiens goalies, so Sportsnet does an oral history of how Montreal decided to select him in 2005. [Sportsnet]
• NHL power rankings, with every team’s MVP. [Sportsnet]

Things have changed...