NFT: Panthers at Islanders, 7pm Game Thread

Whaddya know, more off days interrupted by brief bouts of hockey...or whatever the Islanders are calling what they're doing on the ice lately.

Greiss in net, Pelech in for Hamonic (day-to-day after the knee-on-knee the other night), same lineup otherwise. I looked up the French translation for Beauviller and ironically, it's "unwarranted healthy scratch".

News of late: JT is an All-Star (duh). Thomas Greiss, despite the iffy nature of the skaters in front of him, is is 3-0-2 in his last five games with a .955 SV% (171 saves on 179 shots) and 6-1-2 in his last nine games. On the season, he's 9-5-2 with a 2.31 goals-against average and a career-best .927 SV%.

Also, the reporter vultures always circle the rotting carcasses of teams, so naturally, there's been much (Canadian) media chirping, again, about how JT is out the door. He responded to Newsday yesterday:

Quote:

I think for myself, I've always shown and talked about my commitment here. Wanting to have success here and keep building on some of the good things we've done. Obviously, this [low] point has been disappointing. For myself, I know that I have not been to the level that I expect of myself and the standard that I want to be at, he said. I keep trying to improve and get better. I need to be counted on more, to be more of a difference-maker. I think a lot of guys in the room on a daily basis are trying to stay positive, keep the focus on the right things, he said. It obviously can be very frustrating at times with the way things have gone to this point in the season, but it's important just to keep having a good attitude, keep working hard together, having fun, whether it's practice, showing up to the rink on game days in the morning and just sticking together, knowing there's a long way to go. At 26 and in his eighth season with the Islanders, Tavares apparently isn't going anywhere, saying, "I think I've stated enough how much I enjoy being here."

On that note, MiLB gets to add to his doll figurine collection tonight with tonight's game being "Starting Lineup John Tavares Figurine Night".

2 final notes: if you can watch the game, do so. Tonight the Isles are honoring Jiggs McDonald for 50 years in broadcasting. He'll be calling what is likely his final Islanders game tonight. He's a part of all of us. And finally, a somber stick tap in honor of Rangers superfan Steven McDonald, the courageous NYPD veteran, who passed away yesterday at 59.

Let's Go Islanders.