Stat Trick

1. Jason Blake's goal was his 36th -- he's the first Islander to have that many since Ziggy Palffy had 45 in 1997-98.

2. The Islanders outscored the Penguins 1-0 in the third period -- the first time that they've won a third period since rallying against Toronto on February 22nd.

3. It's the first time this month that the Islanders have beaten anyone other than the Capitals and the frrst time since February 24th (Montreal) that they've beaten a team that was ahead of them in the standings.

...and one more with props for the goalie:

Rick DiPietro is 7-1-3 in his last 11 decisions (with his only regulation loss being the Simon game).

Fw: Power Plays vs. Times Short

My trivia question earlier in the week inspired some questions -- unfortunately I wasn't able to find anyone who had a complete table together.

The information I use below is based on what's available on ESPN.com

It may make some of the conspiracy theorists on the list rest a little easier.

So for the 2000-01 to 2005-06 seasons:

Five teams have had more power plays that the opposition in each of the five seasons:

Carolina
Colorado
Minnesota
Ottawa
Tampa Bay

(three of these teams have won the Stanley Cup during these five seasons)

Five teams have had more times shorts than the opposition in each of the last five seasons:

Chicago
Florida
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
Washington

In terms of biggest power play difference (total power plays - total penalty kills)

Tampa has had the most power plays relative to their opponents= +270 (an average of 54 a season)

The remainder of the top 5:

Carolina 228
New Jersey 164
Buffalo 157
Minnesota 142

(again, three of the five have won the Cup in the last five seasons)

The bottom five is led by Florida. The Panthers have been short 272 times more than their opponents (an average of 54.4 per season) The Rangers and Blackhawks have each been shorthanded 268 times more than their opponents.

Washington is fourth, having been shorthanded 244 times more than their opponents, while Boston is fifth with 198.

The Islanders are tied with Phoenix for sixth, having been shorthanded 143 times more than their opponents.

Since Montreal and Toronto didn't come up in these lists, and people asked:

The Canadiens have had more pp's than their opponents in three of the last five seasons, and have had 94 power plays more than their opponents.

The Maple Leafs have had more pp's than their opponents only twice in the last five seasons, and have had 66 fewer power plays than their opponents.

The table below shows the entire league, in order of 5 year difference in power plays. The "more or less" column can be interpreted as "Seasons with more pp – Seasons with fewer pp – Seasons with pp total equal to opponent"

team Sum of PP diff More or less
Tampa Bay 270 5-0-0
Carolina 228 5-0-0
Minnesota 142 5-0-0
Ottawa 140 5-0-0
Colorado 85 5-0-0
Buffalo 157 4-1-0
Vancouver 82 4-1-0
Columbus 61 4-1-0
New Jersey 164 3-2-0
Nashville 134 3-2-0
Montreal 94 3-2-0
San Jose 89 3-2-0
Dallas 35 3-2-0
Edmonton 31 3-2-0
Atlanta 5 3-2-0
Calgary 46 3-1-1
Los Angeles 27 2-3-0
St. Louis -2 2-3-0
Philadelphia -23 2-3-0
Anaheim -32 2-3-0
Toronto -65 2-3-0
Pittsburgh -86 1-4-0
Phoenix -143 1-4-0
Boston -198 1-4-0
Detroit -46 1-3-1
NY Islanders -143 0-5-0
Washington -244 0-5-0
Chicago -268 0-5-0
NY Rangers -268 0-5-0
Florida -272 0-5-0
Grand Total 0

As for the current season (thru Friday):

Of the five teams that have had more pp's than their opponents in each of the last five years, three are a cinch to do so again :

Carolina +38
Colorado -3
Minnesota +30
Ottawa +16
Tampa Bay +65

Of the five that have had fewer pp's that their opponents in each of the last five years, three are a cinch to do it again.

Chicago -59
Florida -87
NY Islanders -92
NY Rangers +10
Washington -4

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of FSN statistician Eric Hornick. Eric, who has worked the Stanley Cup Finals four times, celebrated 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 2,921 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

Power Plays vs. Times Short

My trivia question earlier in the week inspired some questions -- unfortunately I wasn't able to find anyone who had a complete table together.

The information I use below is based on what's available on ESPN.com

It may make some of the conspiracy theorists on the list rest a little easier.

So for the 2000-01 to 2005-06 seasons:

Five teams have had more power plays that the opposition in each of the five seasons:

Carolina
Colorado
Minnesota
Ottawa
Tampa Bay

(three of these teams have won the Stanley Cup during these five seasons)

Five teams have had more times shorts than the opposition in each of the last five seasons:

Chicago
Florida
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
Washington

In terms of biggest power play difference (total power plays - total penalty kills)

Tampa has had the most power plays relative to their opponents= +270 (an average of 54 a season)

The remainder of the top 5:

Carolina 228
New Jersey 164
Buffalo 157
Minnesota 142

(again, three of the five have won the Cup in the last five seasons)


The bottom five is led by Florida. The Panthers have been short 272 times more than their opponents (an average of 54.4 per season) The Rangers and Blackhawks have each been shorthanded 268 times more than their opponents.

Washington is fourth, having been shorthanded 244 times more than their opponents, while Boston is fifth with 198.

The Islanders are tied with Phoenix for sixth, having been shorthanded 143 times more than their opponents.


Since Montreal and Toronto didn't come up in these lists, and people asked:

The Canadiens have had more pp's than their opponents in three of the last five seasons, and have had 94 power plays more than their opponents.

The Maple Leafs have had more pp's than their opponents only twice in the last five seasons, and have had 66 fewer power plays than their opponents.


The table below shows the entire league, in order of 5 year difference in power plays. The "more or less" column can be interpreted as "Seasons with more pp – Seasons with fewer pp – Seasons with pp total equal to opponent"

team Sum of PP diff More or less
Tampa Bay 270 5-0-0
Carolina 228 5-0-0
Minnesota 142 5-0-0
Ottawa 140 5-0-0
Colorado 85 5-0-0
Buffalo 157 4-1-0
Vancouver 82 4-1-0
Columbus 61 4-1-0
New Jersey 164 3-2-0
Nashville 134 3-2-0
Montreal 94 3-2-0
San Jose 89 3-2-0
Dallas 35 3-2-0
Edmonton 31 3-2-0
Atlanta 5 3-2-0
Calgary 46 3-1-1
Los Angeles 27 2-3-0
St. Louis -2 2-3-0
Philadelphia -23 2-3-0
Anaheim -32 2-3-0
Toronto -65 2-3-0
Pittsburgh -86 1-4-0
Phoenix -143 1-4-0
Boston -198 1-4-0
Detroit -46 1-3-1
NY Islanders -143 0-5-0
Washington -244 0-5-0
Chicago -268 0-5-0
NY Rangers -268 0-5-0
Florida -272 0-5-0
Grand Total 0

As for the current season (thru Friday):

Of the five teams that have had more pp's than their opponents in each of the last five years, three are a cinch to do so again :

Carolina +38
Colorado -3
Minnesota +30
Ottawa +16
Tampa Bay +65

Of the five that have had fewer pp's that their opponents in each of the last five years, three are a cinch to do it again.


Chicago -59
Florida -87
NY Islanders -92
NY Rangers +10
Washington -4

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of FSN statistician Eric Hornick. Eric, who has worked the Stanley Cup Finals four times, celebrated 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 2,921 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

Stat Trick

aka March Badness (2-4-2 in March, with both wins over the Caps)

1. For a team that has been very good all season 5 on 5, the Isles were outscored 6-0 (including the two empty-nets). This led to some hideous minuses: Satan -5, Hill -4, Witt and Park -3. Olli Jokinen was a very "rolly" +6 while Mike Van Ryan was +5.

2. The eight goals allowed are the most by the Isles since an 8-1 loss to Vancouver last January 14th in the second game under Brad Shaw. It's also the first time that the Panthers have ever scored more than six goals against the Islanders.

3. The Isles have allowed eighteen goals in three games, most since allowing a similar number nearly seven years ago:

21-Mar-00VsPittsburgh28L
22-Mar-00@Toronto52W
24-Mar-00VsNew Jersey28L

(The club record for goals allowed in a three game period is 22, set by the Original Islanders:

3-Nov-72@Vancouver27L
4-Nov-72@Los Angeles29L
8-Nov-72@Chicago16L

Milestone night

1. Miro Satan played his 300th consecutive game.

2. Rick DiPietro became the 4th goaltender in Islander history
to appear in 200 games (Smith 675; Resch 282; Hrudey 241)

3. The Islanders won their 200th all-time March game, tying
January as the winningest month in club history. The Isles have
also won exactly 200 January games.

Stat Trick

1. The Islanders opened the scoring for the 7th straight game.
Mike Sillinger did the honors for the third time this
month--tops in the NHL.

2. The Isles recorded their 77th and 78th points -- tying last
season's total. They have 43 points at home and 35 on the road,
the exact split they ended last season.

3. The Isles finish the season 3-0-1 against the Caps and are
8-1-1 in their last 10 games against Washington. Prior to this
stretch the Isles had won only 1 of 29 games against the Caps.

...

and one more-- could this be the end of the Post-Ranger
let-down?

The Isles have won 2 of their last three games that immediately
follow a game with the Rangers. (the loss was on Thursday,
following Monday's game). The Isles also broke a three-game
winless streak in games following a home-home with the Rangers.
They are now 11-6-3 all-time in the game following the 20 home-home.

Stat Trick

1. The Islanders clinched the season season against the Rangers,
9 points to 2, with tonight's shootout loss, as they improve to
12-2-6 in their last 20 games. It's the first time since 1982
that the Isles have been beaten only twice in a 20-game span.
The shootout loss does end the Isles' five-game MSG winning
streak.

2. Rick DiPietro established a new club record by making 56
saves, on 57 Rangers shots. [Felix Potvin and Billy Smith shared
the club record, at 55.] The club record for shots allowed
remains 60, set by the Flyers in Nov, 1972. It wasn't the most
save DiPietro has ever made in a game -- he made 77 saves in a
4ot loss to St. Lawrence in the 2000 National Playoffs. (At the
time it was the longest game in college hockey history).
DiPietro improved his season save percentage from .915 to .917
with his effort tonight, cementing his place in the top 10.

3. The Rangers equalled the 57 shots that they took against the
Islanders on Veterans Day, (11-11) 1973. The Rangers beat the
Islanders 5-2 that night. Billy Smith made 46 saves and allowed
all five goals; Gerry Desjardins made six late saves on as many
shots. Rod Gilbert became the Rangers' all-time leading goal
scorer that night as Al Arbour coached the Isles at MSG for the
first time.

By the way....

If the Isles win on Thursday, they'll equal last season's total
of 78 points.