Islanders Gameday(?!) News: Returning to face the Devils and erase 2021 ills

They’re back! They’re really back. After ringing in the new year with a Noah Dobson OT winner and then promptly having their west coast trip canceled, the Islanders return to action against the Covid-recovering Devils tonight.

It’s just their third game in almost a month, they are near-buried at the bottom of the Metro, and they’ll be without Barry Trotz (COVID Protocol), but they’ve had plenty of time to prepare with or without him. So we get a few weeks at least to tally and pretend that their 16-point deficit in the wild card race is surmountable.

In celebration, Clarence gets lyrical as he invites you to leave your First Islanders Goal pick for tonight.

Islanders News

• Tonight, is it really happening? It sounds like it’s really happening. [Newsday]
• On how it’s now or never for the Islanders. [Post]
• These stories about how Islanders chose (or didn’t choose) their numbers are great in their anticlimactic nature. Especially all the ones that are just, “Lou [is kind of a dictator about really trivial things and] just decided this was my number.” Ryan Pulock offered Andy Greene #6, but both realized they have zero attachment to their numbers because they had absolutely zero say in them. That’s just Lou building, um, uh, culture. Same way that every team that allows guys to have goatees is inherently made up of individualistic assholes who will never win. But anyway, Datsyuk, I mean Barzal, and Lee had fun answers. [Isles]
• Colin McDonald is in the house for Talkin’ Isles. Shame they didn’t retire his number before the Kid Who Won The Calder came along. [Isles]
• Bridgeport is on a bit of a mini-roll. Last night was eventful, and Michael Dal Colle flashed some hands in the shootout [BP Isles]

I just assume they were quoting Boyz II Men “Motown Philly”:

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores include a hat trick for some Bruins POS, and five points for Joe Pavelski. Also, the Coyotes hosted the Leafs and beat them 2-1 (big night for Karel Vejmelka), which is hilarious. Hey, not everyone can handle Ryan Dzingel.

• The Devils miss Miles Wood, who is prepping to return from hip surgery. [All About The Jersey]
• The Oilers are close to signing Evander Kane, but a(nother) NHL investigation will push that back for a bit. [Sportsnet]
• The Bruins are feeling so good, they’re jacked about giving Tuukka Rask his season debut tonight. [ESPN]
• Bowen Byram is just 20 and has stepped away from the Avalanche for what his father says are concussion-related reasons. [Sportsnet]
• What would John Klingberg be worth in a trade, or a contract extension for the pending UFA? [Sportsnet]