Islanders Gameday News: Prepare to cry

The Florida Panthers are on a 10-game win streak and the New York Islanders are now officially eliminated from playoff contention. Tonight they meet in Elmont, and it promises to be lovely. The Isles began this tortured season with a very humbling loss to the Panthers in Florida.

The two teams’ trajectories have not changed.

But! Tonight isn’t really focused on that. The Islanders are returning home for the first time since Mike Bossy’s death. Bring your tissues.

Leave your First Islanders Goal picks here.

Islanders News

• Game notes/preview for tonight: Which young winger will be scratched? [Isles]
• Butch Goring will be back in the booth tonight, as the team remembers one of his dynasty linemates. [Newsday]
• Expect an emotional night. [Newsday]
• Officially now: Aatu Raty is on these shores and assigned to Bridgeport. Who wants to bet on the date of his first callup next season? [Isles]
• Prospect Report: William Dufour is setting more team records and Eetu Liukas scored a series clincher to send his team to the Liiga finals. [Isles]
• Mathew Barzal was fined for his little unsportsmanlike trickery against the Leafs. [NHL | Post]

More Bossy:

• Fitting tribute in Times Square. [Isles]
• And revisiting the Mike Bossy-Bryan Trottier friendship, including a great story of Bossy, well, lighting Trots’ hair on fire. [Isles]
• In the 199th Islanders Anxiety, Mike and Dan discuss Bossy’s legacy and impact on the franchise. [LHH]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores included the Capitals shocking the Avalanche and the Devils dealing another blow to the Knights.

• Don’t believe the traditional narrative, offensive teams have the edge going into these playoffs. [TSN]
• Carolina’s surge takes a blow as Frederik Andersen is out “at least a week” with a lower body injury. [NHL]
• A couple of Flyers trainers have sued the team over long-term exposure to Zamboni fumes. [Athletic]
• The Canucks know the task is tall but they still believe. [TSN | Sportsnet]
• In the NHL, homophobic language has become less overt — and harder to eliminate. [Athletic]
• Hobey Baker discusses suspension for banned substance, after connecting it to an incorrectly labeled supplement. [Sportsnet]