Islanders Gameday News: Getting back on the ball; Ladd’s Leaders

The Islanders play on the road tonight after completing a five-game homestand Tuesday and before beginning a three-game homestand Saturday. Fortunately, tonight’s game is against the Senators as the two squads finish up a home-and-home set. Unfortunately, a team that is ostensibly a minor league hockey team made the Islanders look silly during the third period two nights ago and forced a shootout against them.

Hopefully, tonight is a more convincing result — it goes without saying that not getting two points during their trip to Ottawa is unacceptable. I think not getting an ROW would be a problem, as well. Leave your FIG picks here. 7:30 p.m. start time tonight.

Islanders News

• The Islanders called up Christopher Gibson on emergency with Robin Lehner’s status uncertain after the collision the other night when Brady Tkachuk plowed right into him full boar. [Newsday]
• While Lehner’s potential injury is in the foreground, looming in the background is that the Islanders simply have not been good enough over the last few weeks. They need to fix it with the other Metro teams heating. [The Athletic]
• Coach Barry Trotz says it is time to regroup. Hopefully, this little road excursion sets them down that path. [Newsday]
• One way to get this team back on track, and I know we all keep harping on it but it’s friggin’ true: get both Michael Dal Colle and Joshua Ho-Sang back in the lineup every night. Find a way. They make the team better, and it’s no coincidence the team’s play slipped without them. Don’t believe me? Ask Carey! [LHH]
• The home-and-home set is a revisiting of sorts between Lehner and the Senators; sadly, the thing that stands out most to him was his collision with Clarke MacArthur that left them both badly concussed and then watching The Hamburglar, Andrew Hammond, take over the reigns down the stretch in 2015. [Ottawa Sun]
• While the Islanders deal with injuries and illnesses, the Sound Tigers are almost completely healthy. [CT Post]
• Railers forward Ryan Hitchcock is a true student of the game, studying tape from NHL games and trying to mimic the players. [Telegram]
• Three eighth graders from Westhampton Beach raised a ton of money for East End Disability Associates and were invited to the Capitals game on March 1 as guests of Andrew Ladd as a thank you. They were recognized as Ladd’s Leaders for the game and were photographed with him. [Westhampton Patch]
• Patrick “Sign Guy” Dowd has started a petition for you to sign expressing support/need for the arena at Belmont. [Change]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores include the Capitals jumping out to a 5-0 lead over the Flyers before Philadelphia made it somewhat interesting early in the third, bringing the scores within two before Washington finished the job. With the regulation win, the Caps re-take sole position of first in the Metro by two points and one ROW; the Islanders now have a game in hand from second place.

• Blues center Ryan O’Reilly explains the wild ride the Blues have been on this season, from last place up to a divisional playoff spot, and looking like a force to be reckoned with as time has gone on. [ESPN]
• Bruins winger Brad Marchand recently trolled the Maple Leafs, trying to get them to push Mitch Marner’s AAV up to $12 million on his next contract; Leafs GM Kyle Dubas enjoyed it, and is happy Toronto is on Marchand’s mind ahead of the two teams’ likely playoff clash in April. [NHL]
• Sharks’ forward Jonathan Dahlen, recently acquired from Vancouver, had to shut down his social media accounts because of the vitriol he kept receiving about allegedly asking for a trade, which he denies. People continue to be shitty. [Fear the Fin]
• Ever wonder what it’s like in an NHL team’s video room during a game? Go inside the Stars’ video room and get some up-close action. [The Athletic]

Not Hockey-Related, But Canadian

Prayers up for Alex Trebek; the Canadian Jeopardy! host announced yesterday that he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Jeopardy! is as constant in my life as the Islanders and Trebek is a saintly, seemingly immortal man, and we’re all hoping like hell he beats the slim odds.