Top Shelf: Islanders Daily 12/20/13

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been another typical week here in Islanders Country. The only game played at this point in the week showed the Islanders play a strong two and a half periods, only to find themselves blowing a two goal lead in minutes and losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a shootout.

The Islanders have had a knack for blowing leads in the third period for quite some time now. It’s been plaguing the team up until this point in the 2013-14 season, and there doesn’t seem to be an ending in sight.

However, if there’s one team the Islanders can play well against, it’s their crosstown rival New York Rangers, who they will be facing later on tonight.

During the worst of the worst Islanders hockey, they always seem to put up a valiant, commendable effort against their arch rival. The Islanders play motivated against the Rangers, and expect to see that tonight.

As for the lineup, no announcement has been made regarding the jaw injury to Casey Cizikas. Cizikas did not play Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he has started skating with the team in practice, which is nothing short of great news for the Islanders.

So now, we get ready for what should be an entertaining Friday Night “Battle for the Apple”. Both teams will be revved up to be playing against each other, and hopefully the Islanders can finally get back in the thick of things in the struggling Metropolitan Division. And to all Islanders fans, if you haven’t received the message yet, it ain’t over ’till it’s over.

-PM (@pjmcentee)

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Lighthouse Hockey’s NHL Power Rankings (LHH)

Around the NHL

• Buffalo Sabres 4, Boston Bruins 2
• Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Phoenix Coyotes 1 (SO)
• Philadelphia Flyer 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 4
• Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Minnesota Wild 2
• Florida Panthers 4, Ottawa Senators 2
• Detroit Red Wings 3, Calgary Flames (OT)
• Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Nashville Predators 2
• St. Louis Blues 5, Montreal Canadiens 2
• Dallas Starts 4, Vancouver Canucks 1
• Colorado Avalanche 4, Edmonton Oilers 2
• Los Angeles Kings 4, San Jose Sharks 2

Across the Sound 

Life has been a bit of a struggle for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers without (now professional) Ryan Strome. The Sound Tigers have lost three out of their last four games, including a loss in their most recent game played on Sunday against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Of all current roster members of the roster, Anders Lee currently leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and 11 assists in 27 games played.

Just yesterday, the Sound Tigers released Jon Sim (former Islander, of course) adter his 25 game PTO expired. As contributor to Eyes on Isles Tom Ballantyne pointed out, the team’s losing started the day of the Sim signing, so with him gone, the Islanders have to win now, right?