Islanders Gameday News: A game in Boston, what could go wrong?

I ask because what could go wrong is the Islanders win this game. Luckily, that probably won’t happen.

It’s the Oliver Wahlstrom revenge game: The New York Islanders visit the Boston Bruins for the first time this season for a 6:00 p.m. start.

It will be the first Islanders’ game where Wahlstrom suits up for the other side, maybe; he’s been a healthy scratch in Boston too, although he played on the third line last night in the Bruins’ loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. If he does play tonight, you can book him scoring his first goal as a Bruin because he hasn’t even recorded a point with Boston yet in six games there. If I were a betting man—and I am not, because I don’t need that vice ruining my life—I’d be hammering “Wahlstrom any time goal,” or whatever the lingo is, if he is in the lineup.

For me, the Islanders have reached the “I’m okay with losing” point of the season because unless they can rip off a seven- to ten-game winning streak, the playoffs aren’t happening. Five points is a pretty large gap to make up without a massive winning streak, especially considering they’d have to jump seven teams to make it. And they would just get spanked anyway.

I won’t root against my team, but I won’t be disappointed if it goes the way we’d expect. It doesn’t matter that Boston played and traveled last night; the Islanders seldom win in Boston, and I don’t anticipate they will tonight. Enjoy the game, folks.

FIGs go here. Wahlstrom doesn’t count.

Islanders News

• A preview of tonight’s game.
• Isaiah George missed practice yesterday with a suspected concussion, and Dennis Cholowski will draw back in. [Islanders] And they’re running new lines, again. Surely these will work.

• Patrick Roy thought the Islanders played well on Thursday but acknowledged he had no basis for saying so. Okay. [Newsday]
• Goal drought, you say? What a foreign concept for this team. [Newsday]
• The Islanders are trying to help Optimum subscribers watch their games. The dispute is bullshit because it’s only the fans who lose, but also, do you really want to watch this game? [Islanders]
• Zdeno Chara and Frans Nielsen are going to the IIHF Hall of Fame; congratulations to these former Islanders. [Islanders]
• Cole Eiserman scored a beauty for the game-winner as Team USA advanced to the gold medal game tonight at 7:30 against Team Finland in the World Juniors; between Eiserman and Danny Nelson on Team USA and Jesse Nurmi on Team Finland, Islanders prospects are guaranteed to medal. Marcus Gidlof and Team Sweden will play in this afternoon’s bronze medal game against Czechia. [WJC Tracker]
• This piece is so important that it bears linking for a third time: This core is cooked, and it’s time in 2025 to make significant changes at the deadline and in the offseason. [The Athletic]

Elsewhere

Yesterday’s NHL scores include another regulation loss for the Rangers, this time to the Capitals. Also, the Sharks completed the season series sweep of the Devils.

• The Blackhawks stink. Everyone knows it but them and their fans, which is why they’re the only ones shocked that they got decimated in one of the most boring and phoned-in Winter Classics the league has put forth. [The Athletic]
• Oh boy, “bold” prediction time. Among them: Alex Ovechkin sets the goal record in the final game of the regular season against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. How romantic. [NHL]
• Now here’s something interesting: Elliotte Friedman reports that the Canucks are exploring the market on both JT Miller and Elias Pettersson, two kids in the sandbox who can’t play together, but they want a center in return. [Sportsnet]