Devils eliminated!

Howie's been having some fun with the e-mail I dropped him during tonight's broadcast -- the Islanders' win eliminated the Devils from the Metro Ice Challenge which has been running all season on FSN and MSG

To clarify, here's why:

With tonight's win, the Isles have 16 points against the Rangers and Devils (8-1), while the Rangers have 10 (5-3), and the Devils (0-6-3) just 3.

The Devils can reach 17 points if they would win their final 7 games, but they still can't win the Challenge. The reason: the Isles still have 4 games left with the Rangers, guaranteeing that one of those teams will finish the Challenge with at least 18 points.

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 3,118 Fellows of the Casualty Actuarial Society and is the President of the Casualty Actuaries of Greater NY. You can find him in the "Best Seat in the House", to the left of Howie and Billy, at most Islander home games. For more on the actuarial profession, visit www.beanactuary.org

First period woes continue

The Isles were outscored 1-0 in the first period tonight and have been outscored 31-22 this season in the opening 20 minutes. The 22 first period goals is the fewest by any team in any period this season.

Things are a lot worse in the first period at home. The Isles have scored a grand total of 9 first period goals in 23 home games this season (and have allowed 19). The nine goals is the fewest by any NHL team at home in any period. The Isles have not scored a pp goal in the first period at home this season.

It took awhile but...
The Isles had only 18 shots tonight -- fewest in any home game since having 18 in a 5-1 defeat to Philadelphia on November 29, 2003. (My notes indicate that one Roger Farina, the then-reigning NHL Fan of the Year, dropped a ceremonial opening faceoff.)

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 3,044 Fellows of the Casualty Actuarial Society and is the President of the Casualty Actuaries of Greater NY. You can find him in the "Best Seat in the House", to the left of Howie and Billy, at most Islander home games. For more on the actuarial profession, visit www.beanactuary.org

Stat Trick: Canadiens 3, Islanders 1

Based on their play tonight, maybe the Isles should have played a sixth straight road game instead of returning to the Coliseum for the first time in 12 days. On to the stat trick:

1. Tomas Plekanec recorded his 6th two-goal game of the season, including the 9th shorthanded goal allowed by the Islanders this season. The 9 SHG's allowed tie the Isles for the League Lead in this category with the Wild. The Wild however, have scored 39 PP goals, the Isles only 31.

2. Montreal sweeps the Long Island portion of the season series, and wins consecutive games at the Coliseum for the first time since winning three straight at the Coliseum between February 1997 and January 1998.

3. Tonight's game concludes a five-game stretch against Canadian opponents - longest since a similar stretch in March 1998. Isles went 2-2-1 in this stretch (1-3-1 in 1998). The Isles have had four other five-game stretches against Canadian opponents as well as a six-game stretch in December 1980.

and a few more...

4. While a lot has been written about the first game back after a long road trip, the Isles won their first game back after their last three trips of at least five games:

11/22/06 vs Carolina (After 5 game trip)
3/21/06 vs Montreal (after 5 game trip)
3/19/04 vs Minnesota (after 5 game trip)

Tonight's loss was the first in a similar situation since dropping a 4-2 decision to New Jersey on March 22, 2003 following a six game trip.

5. The Islanders were held to one shot in the first period. It was the first time since February 13, 2007 in Toronto that the Isles were held to only one shot (regular season only -- Buffalo held the Isles to one shot in Game 1 of last year's playoffs). They finished with only 18 shots --their lowest total since having only 18 in Ottawa on 12/27/06.

6. While the Isles had only 18 shots on goal, the Canadiens blocked 25 others, including six by Andrei Markov.

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 3,044 Fellows of the Casualty Actuarial Society and is the President of the Casualty Actuaries of Greater NY. You can find him in the "Best Seat in the House", to the left of Howie and Billy, at most Islander home games. For more on the actuarial profession, visit www.beanactuary.org

Stat Trick: Isles 3, Ottawa 1

1. Isles conclude the longest road trip of the season with a 2-1-2 record led by a pair of pp goals from Marc-Andre Bergeron. Bergeron now had five goals and two assists in the eight games that he's played since being benched for five striaght games. Seven of his eight goals and 13 of his 17 points have come on the power play.

2. The Isles win a regular season game in Ottawa for the first time since March 15, 2003 (0-6-1). It's only the Islanders 6th win ever (regular season play) in Ottawa and only their third since the Sens moved into Scotia Bank Place in January 1996.

3. All-Star Rick DIPietro played every minutes on the trip, allowing 13 goals in 312 minutes. Along the way, be became the 3rd winnigest goalie in Islander history (108 --two more than Kelly Hrudey) and the 2nd losingest goalie too (95, one more than Tommy Salo).

and a few more...

4. The Islanders blocked 18 shots, including three apiece by Meyer, Hunter and Comrie.

5. The Isles had 12:20 of power play time while Ottawa had only 2:26. Overall, the Isles finsihed 2-8 on the pp while Ottawa was 1-3. The 8 pp's equals a season high and the +5 pp differential was also a season high.

6. Daniel Alfredsson had the Ottawa goal, and now has a point in 10 straight games but Mike Fisher's point streak was stopped at 9.

7. Brendan Witt missed his first game of the season, leaving seven Islanders (Comrie, Hunter, Park, Campoli, Vasicek, HIlbert and Sutton) as having played in every game this season.
Of the seven, Richard Park has the longest streak as an Islander -- he's played all 126 games since joining the team, Andy Hilbert was a scratch on Opening Night last year and has placed 125 since. Hunter has played in 95 straight while Campoli's streak is now 80 games.

8. Mike Comrie had a goal and an assist for the Isles --his only points on the trip.

9. The Isles are now 22-17-5 on the season and have 49 points. Only once since 1984-85 have the Isles recorded more points in their first 44 games (they had 51 in 2001-02).

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 3,044 Fellows of the Casualty Actuarial Society and is the President of the Casualty Actuaries of Greater NY. You can find him in the "Best Seat in the House", to the left of Howie and Billy, at most Islander home games. For more on the actuarial profession, visit www.beanactuary.org

Stat Trick: Islanders 5, Calgary 4 (shooutout)

1. Mike Sillinger had two goals for the Islanders in the first period -- the 23rd two-goal game of his career. He has never had a regular season hat trick although he did score one in the 2004 playoffs for St.Louis.

2..That Isles have scored at least 4 goals in a game against the Flames for the first time since a 6-2 win over Calgary on January 7, 1994 at the Coliseum. That game was filled with historical oddities:

Arbour serving suspension for first time in NHL career (Vukota had left bench during a fight)
Isles/NHL debuts for Jamie McLennan and Ziggy Palffy
This was the 16th game between the teams since then.

3. The Isles earn the win (via the shootout) in their first game in Calgary since January 15, 2002 and do so without Miro Satan (who missed a game due to injury for the first time as an Islander) and Brendan Witt (who played only 5:#7 before being injured in a collision with Jarome Iginla.

and a few more...

4. The Isles are 1-1-2 on this road trip with one game to play. They are 6-2-3 in their last 11 games, including 3 wins and 3 losses in ot/so games.

5. Freddy Meyer blocked six shots as he saw extra time due to the injury to Witt.

6. The Isles equaled their first period high by scoring three times (for the third time this season, all on the road).

7. Jarome Iginla led all players with 26:59 of ice-time and had nine shots on goal, and one more in the shootout, but fellow All-Star Rick DiPietro stopped them all.

8. Isles have kiiled 19 of 20 on this trip, including the critical double minor to Mike Sillinger with under five minutes to play.

9. The Isles now have 47 points in 43 games. Since 1988, only the 2001-02 squad has had more points(49) in their first 43 games.

10. Ruslan Fedotenko had a goal and two assists, matching his opening night performance in Buffalo.

11. Speaking of Buffalo, the Islanders do something that the Sabres and Rangers have failed to do in 2008: become the first New York based team to win a hockey game. Isles are 1-1-3 in 2008, Sabres are 0-2-3 and the Rangers are 0-4-1.

12. The win puts the Isles in sole possesion of 7th place and drops Boston to 8th. The 9th place Rangers are two points behind the Isles, but the Isles also hold a game in hand
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of FSN statistician Eric Hornick.

NHL Game 7 history

There have been only 120 of them ever played (one last year - won by
some guy named Roberto Luongo).

As best I can tell, Patrick Roy has played in the most 13, but won
only 6.

Among current legends, Brodeur has played in 8, winning 5.

I can't give you much more on an individual basis but here's the all-
time game list with winners listed first: (thanks whowins.com)
Year Round Victor Vanquished
1939 Semis Boston Bruins New York Rangers
1941 Semis Boston Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs
1942 Finals Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings
1945 Semis Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins
1945 Finals Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings
1949 Semis Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
1950 Semis Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs
1950 Finals Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers
1952 Semis Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins
1953 Semis Montreal Canadiens Chicago Blackhawks
1954 Finals Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
1955 Finals Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
1959 Semis Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins
1964 Semis Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens
1964 Semis Detroit Red Wings Chicago Blackhawks
1964 Finals Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings
1965 Semis Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings
1965 Finals Montreal Canadiens Chicago Blackhawks
1968 Qtrs St. Louis Blues Philadelphia Flyers
1968 Qtrs Minnesota North Stars Los Angeles Kings
1968 Semis St. Louis Blues Minnesota North Stars
1969 Qtrs Los Angeles Kings Oakland Seals
1971 Qtrs Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins
1971 Semis Chicago Blackhawks New York Rangers
1971 Finals Montreal Canadiens Chicago Blackhawks
1972 Qtrs St. Louis Blues Minnesota North Stars
1974 Semis Philadelphia Flyers New York Rangers
1975 Qtrs New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins
1975 Semis Philadelphia Flyers New York Islanders
1976 Qtrs Philadelphia Flyers Toronto Maple Leafs
1976 Qtrs Boston Bruins Los Angeles Kings
1978 Qtrs Toronto Maple Leafs New York Islanders
1979 Semis Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins
1980 Qtrs Minnesota North Stars Montreal Canadiens
1981 Qtrs Calgary Flames Philadelphia Flyers
1982 Qtrs Quebec Nordiques Boston Bruins
1983 Qtrs Boston Bruins Buffalo Sabres
1984 Qtrs Minnesota North Stars St. Louis Blues
1984 Qtrs Edmonton Oilers Calgary Flames
1985 Qtrs Quebec Nordiques Montreal Canadiens
1986 Qtrs Montreal Canadiens Hartford Whalers
1986 Qtrs St. Louis Blues Toronto Maple Leafs
1986 Qtrs Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers
1986 Semis Calgary Flames St. Louis Blues
1987 Prelim New York Islanders Washington Capitals
1987 Qtrs Montreal Canadiens Quebec Nordiques
1987 Qtrs Philadelphia Flyers New York Islanders
1987 Qtrs Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs
1987 Finals Edmonton Oilers Philadelphia Flyers
1988 Prelim Washington Capitals Philadelphia Flyers
1988 Qtrs New Jersey Devils Washington Capitals
1988 Semis Boston Bruins New Jersey Devils
1989 Prelim Calgary Flames Vancouver Canucks
1989 Prelim Los Angeles Kings Edmonton Oilers
1989 Qtrs Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins
1990 Prelim Boston Bruins Hartford Whalers
1990 Prelim Chicago Blackhawks Minnesota North Stars
1990 Prelim Edmonton Oilers Winnipeg Jets
1990 Qtrs Chicago Blackhawks St. Louis Blues
1991 Prelim Pittsburgh Penguins New Jersey Devils
1991 Prelim St. Louis Blues Detroit Red Wings
1991 Prelim Edmonton Oilers Calgary Flames
1991 Qtrs Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens
1992 Prelim Montreal Canadiens Hartford Whalers
1992 Prelim Boston Bruins Buffalo Sabres
1992 Prelim New York Rangers New Jersey Devils
1992 Prelim Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals
1992 Prelim Detroit Red Wings Minnesota North Stars
1992 Prelim Vancouver Canucks Winnipeg Jets
1993 Prelim Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings
1993 Qtrs New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins
1993 Qtrs Toronto Maple Leafs St. Louis Blues
1993 Semis Los Angeles Kings Toronto Maple Leafs
1994 Prelim New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres
1994 Prelim Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens
1994 Prelim San Jose Sharks Detroit Red Wings
1994 Prelim Vancouver Canucks Calgary Flames
1994 Qtrs Toronto Maple Leafs San Jose Sharks
1994 Semis New York Rangers New Jersey Devils
1994 Finals New York Rangers Vancouver Canucks
1995 Prelim Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals
1995 Prelim San Jose Sharks Calgary Flames
1995 Prelim Vancouver Canucks St. Louis Blues
1995 Prelim Chicago Blackhawks Toronto Maple Leafs
1996 Qtrs Detroit Red Wings St. Louis Blues
1996 Semis Florida Panthers Pittsburgh Penguins
1997 Prelim Buffalo Sabres Ottawa Senators
1997 Prelim Edmonton Oilers Dallas Stars
1997 Prelim Anaheim Mighty Ducks Phoenix Coyotes
1998 Prelim Edmonton Oilers Colorado Avalanche
1999 Prelim Pittsburgh Penguins New Jersey Devils
1999 Prelim St. Louis Blues Phoenix Coyotes
1999 Semis Dallas Stars Colorado Avalanche
2000 Prelim San Jose Sharks St. Louis Blues
2000 Semis New Jersey Devils Philadelphia Flyers
2000 Semis Dallas Stars Colorado Avalanche
2001 Qtrs New Jersey Devils Toronto Maple Leafs
2001 Qtrs Pittsburgh Penguins Buffalo Sabres
2001 Qtrs Colorado Avalanche Los Angeles Kings
2001 Finals Colorado Avalanche New Jersey Devils
2002 Prelim Toronto Maple Leafs New York Islanders
2002 Prelim Colorado Avalanche Los Angeles Kings
2002 Qtrs Toronto Maple Leafs Ottawa Senators
2002 Qtrs Colorado Avalanche San Jose Sharks
2002 Semis Detroit Red Wings Colorado Avalanche
2003 Prelim Philadelphia Flyers Toronto Maple Leafs
2003 Prelim Minnesota Wild Colorado Avalanche
2003 Prelim Vancouver Canucks St. Louis Blues
2003 Qtrs Minnesota Wild Vancouver Canucks
2003 Semis New Jersey Devils Ottawa Senators
2003 Finals New Jersey Devils Anaheim Mighty Ducks
2004 Prelim Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins
2004 Prelim Toronto Maple Leafs Ottawa Senators
2004 Prelim Calgary Flames Vancouver Canucks
2004 Semis Tampa Bay Lightning Philadelphia Flyers
2004 Finals Tampa Bay Lightning Calgary Flames
2006 Prelim Anaheim Mighty Ducks Calgary Flames
2006 Semis Carolina Hurricanes Buffalo Sabres
2006 Finals Carolina Hurricanes Edmonton Oilers
2007 Prelim Vancouver Canucks Dallas Stars
Here are team-by-team all-time game 7 records:
W L
Anaheim Mighty Ducks 2 1
Boston Bruins 9 7
Buffalo Sabres 1 5
Calgary Flames 5 6
Carolina Hurricanes 2 0
Chicago Blackhawks 5 4
Colorado Avalanche 4 5
Dallas Stars 2 2
Detroit Red Wings 11 7
Edmonton Oilers 6 3
Florida Panthers 1 0
Hartford Whalers 0 3
Los Angeles Kings 3 4
Minnesota North Stars 3 4
Minnesota Wild 2 0
Montreal Canadiens 10 8
New Jersey Devils 6 6
New York Islanders 3 4
New York Rangers 3 4
Oakland Seals 0 1
Ottawa Senators 0 4
Philadelphia Flyers 6 6
Phoenix Coyotes 0 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 5 4
Quebec Nordiques 2 1
San Jose Sharks 3 2
St. Louis Blues 6 8
Tampa Bay Lightning 2 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 12 9
Vancouver Canucks 5 4
Washington Capitals 1 4

It's been a looooooooooooooooong time since....

An Islander goalie was named to the All-Star team. Congratulations to Rick DiPietro, who wasn't born the last time an Islander goalie was named to the team.

Billy Smith was the MVP of the All-Star Game in 1978
Chico Resch was on the 1976 and 1977 teams.