Hat Tricks both ways

As mentioned on Sunday's telecast, it was the first time that
there have been hat tricks for both teams in an Islander-Ranger
game. (Neither team has ever had a two hat trick game against
the other)

I believe that this is the eighth time that both teams have had
hat tricks in games involving the Isles and that they are now
4-2-2 in such games:

Denis Potvin & Darryl Sittler (Isles 7 - Toronto 10) 1978

Butch Goring & Real Cloutier (Isles 9 - Quebec 6) 1980

Bryan Trottier & Ken Houston (Isles 6 - Caps 3) 1982

Dave Gagner & Pat LaFontaine (Isles 8 - North Stars 6) 1989.

Derek King & Mario Lemieux (Isles 6 - Penguins 7) 1991.

Ray Ferraro & Brett Hull (Isles 7 - St. Louis 7) 1991

Derek King & Sylvain Turgeon (Isles 5 - Ottawa 5) 1993.

Viktor Kozlov & Brendan Shanahan (Isles 7 - Rangers 4) 2006.

Re: Where were you on February 19, 1990????

On the morning of 2/19/90 [President's Day], the Isles, already
losers of three straight (part of an 0-11-3 stretch), woke up in
first place, two points ahead of the Rangers. The Rangers beat
the Devils in overtime that day... and the Islanders haven't had
a multi-point lead in their division (this late in the season)
since.

The Isles actually had a six point lead earlier in February...
at the end of a 23-6-3 stretch that was part of the streakiest
season in Isles history.

Start 5-18-3
Then 23-6-3
Then 1-14-5
Finish 2-0-0 and make the playoffs on the last
night of the season when Uwe Krupp eliminates the Penguins.

Pittsburgh got the last laugh. They picked 5th and got Jagr,
Scott Scissons went to the Isles with the next pick.

The Devils and Rangers are both off tonight, so if the Isles can
get a point against Ottawa (and we know historically how easy
that's been :(, they'll have a multi-point lead this late in
the season for the first time since I was single!

--- Eric Hornick <forever1940@yahoo.com> wrote:

> ...and why would I ask.
>
>
> Answer later.
>
>
>
> Forever1940 is the nom de plume of FSN statistician Eric
> Hornick.
>
> Eric, who has worked the Stanley Cup Finals four times, will
> celebrate his 25th anniversary as the statistician on Islander
> home telecasts on January 21, 2007. Often referred to on-air
> as an actuary, he is one of 2,890 Fellows of the Casualty
> Actuarial Society and is the President-Elect of the Casualty
> Actuaries of Greater NY.
>
> You can find him in the "Best Seat in the House", about six
> feet to Howie and Billy's left, at most Islander home games.
>
> For more on the actuarial profession, visit
> www.beanactuary.org
>

If the Isles get a point Tuesday...

they will have a multiple point lead in their division this late
in the season for the first time since 1990!

After Feb 10, 1990
Patrick Division W-L-T Pts
NY Islanders 28-24-6 62
New Jersey 25-25-6 56
NY Rangers 23-23-10 56
Pittsburgh 25-27-4 54
Washington 24-30-4 52
Philadelphia 22-26-8 52

After Feb 18, 1990
Patrick Division W-L-T Pts
NY Islanders 28-27-6 62
NY Rangers 25-25-10 60
Pittsburgh 27-28-5 59
New Jersey 25-27-7 57
Washington 26-30-4 56
Philadelphia 24-29-8 56

On February 19, 1990 the Rangers beat the Devils 4-3 in overtime
to tie the Isles for first place. The Rangers tied Detroit 4-4
on 2/21/1990 to push the Isles into second place.

The Isles are in sole possession of first place in their
division for the first time (this late in the season) since
Islanders held sole possession of first place this late in the
season -- the night of December 14, 2001

Atlantic Division W-L-T-OL Pts
NY Islanders 16-8-5-2 39
NY Rangers 17-13-2-2 38
Philadelphia 14-9-5-1 34
Pittsburgh 13-13-4-2 32
New Jersey 13-12-3-2 31

[the Rangers won the next night and the Isles lost -- the Isles
would get even again on December 21, 2001 --the last time that
they had at least a share of first place this late in the
season.]

A goal for Nolan

Not Ted, but his son Brandon.

Brandon Nolan scored his first goal for the Sound Tigers, but Bridgeport dropped a 5-3 decision in Manchester. Jeff Tambellini had a pair of assists and now has a nine-game point streak for the 10-8-1-3 Sound Tigers.

Bridgeport has a home/home series with Binghamton this Wednesday/Saturday. They then are off until December 16th.

More lasts for the first place team

Isles scored 12 goals this weekend in their consecutive wins over the Penguins and Rangers.

Isles last scored 12 goals in consecutive games: January 30 - February 4, 2002 (beat Rangers 6-3 and tied Florida 6-6) Isles last scored 12 goals in two days: October 10-11, 2001 (beat Pens 6-3 and Devils 6-4) in the third and fourth games of the Laviolette era.

Lots of last times

Isles scored 7 : November 16, 2005 in Atlanta (W 7-3). They haven't scored more than seven since scoring 9 against Chicago in 2003.

Isles scored 4 in a period: December 19, 2005 at Toronto (4-4 first period -- including Islander goals for Eric Godard and Rob Collins) Isles also allowed four goals in second period and lost 9-6, beginning 2-8 swoon that cost Stirling his job.

An Islander scored 4: March 25, 2003 in Chicago (Yashin) An Islander scored at least 4 against the Rangers -- Bryan Trottier 12/23/78 [5 goals] An Islander scored 4 at MSG -- never An Islander recorded a hat trick against the Rangers -- Alexei Yashin 1/30/02 at MSG Viktor Kozlov recorded a hat trick -- 1/6/00 for Florida against Anaheim --only previous career hat trick

The Islanders allowed a hat trick...and won. October 20, 2005 vs NY Rangers (Jagr) Isles won 5-4.

and why not... A Ranger recorded a hat trick against the Isles: Martin Straka 3/29/06 on Long Island A Ranger recorded a hat trick against the Isles at MSG: Adam Graves February 2, 1994

The Isles earned 15 points in a stretch of 10 road games --Nov 8 to Dec 8, 2005 [also 7-2-1] (The Isles haven't earned more than 15 points in a ten road game stretch since 1990.)

The Isles scored 7 at MSG -- tied club record: 1-Feb-78 @ New York 7 6 W [Isles hold on after Chico gets third man in for going after Espo in fight with Persson with 4 minutes to play; Smitty allows last two but Isles hand Rangers their sixth straight loss] 22-Nov-81 @ New York 7 2 W [Isles complete sweep of home and home] 29-Mar-82 @ New York 7 3 W [Night Michael Jordan beat Georgetown -- I watched the end with Craig Patrick] 3-Dec-06 @ New York 7 4 W [Viktor Kozlov ... and 31 blocked shots.]

Islanders held sole possession of first place this late in the season -- the night of December 14, 2001

Atlantic Division W-L-T-OL Pts NY Islanders 16-8-5-2 39 NY Rangers 17-13-2-2 38 Philadelphia 14-9-5-1 34 Pittsburgh 13-13-4-2 32 New Jersey 13-12-3-2 31

[the Rangers won the next night and the Isles lost -- the Isles would get even again on December 21, 2001 --the last time that they had at least a share of first place this late in the season.]

The Isles will hold first place for at least 72 hours-- Isles/Rangers/Devils are all idle on Monday night; the Isles can extend their lead on Tuesday vs Ottawa -- the Devils next play on Wednesday (Montreal) and the Rangers play Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Oops. Hit send and then kicked self in head :)

Correction:

The Isles have allowed only thirteen goals in their last eight games, going 6-1-1 in that stretch. They've carried a shutout to the third period in five of those games -- winning all five, but only one by shutout.

The 13 goals allowed in eight games is one off of the club record for the fewest goals allowed in an eight game stretch. [They allowed twelve goals twice in overlapping stretches in the 2001-02 season --the only times since the 1976-77 season!]