Tavares named Best Player in Canada win. Where's Moulson?

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=364051 (There's also an interview w
Tavares there.)

Tavares had a goal, an assist, 7 shots on goal and +2 despite playing a team-low
11:24.

Canada dressed only 11 forwards so Tavares and Skinner were teamed with a
rotating winger. James Neal hasn't joined the team yet, so Canada played short.

It's somewhat non-sensical that Matt Moulson wasn't selected-- after all, all
he's done is had back-to-back 30 goal seasons. There are only 11 players in the
NHL who scored at least 30 in each of the two seasons, and most weren't
available to Canada GM Dave Nonis, either because they are injured (Crosby),
still playing (Carter, Marleau, Stamkos) said no (Iginla, Kessel) or just not
Canadian (Kovlacuk, Ryan, Ovechkin) The only player who is on the Canada roster
is Rick Nash.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick

The Skinny Is Worldwide (aka The Power of the Internet):

Saw some numbers- thought I'd share. 77% of the viewers to my blog  (over the past year) are in the US (and I would bet many of those are with a 100 mile radius) -- makes sense since the primary focus of the blog is the New York Islanders.  10% come from Canada -- makes sense because it's still 'their game' although we like to share it.

The rest of the readers come from literally all over the world, with  Russia, Germany, South Korea and the UK being the top 4.  Neither Austria nor Denmark made the cut -- despite the fact that I wrote an awful lot about Michael Grabner and Frans Nielsen the past year.

Tavares goal/assist in Canada win

John Tavares scored a goal and set-up Jeff Skinner for another in Canada's 4-1
win over Belarus. Eberle and Skinner (who also assisted on Tavares' goal) had
the other goals for Canada.

Canada had to kill a 5-on-3 late in the game with noted Isles rivals Cal
Clutterbuck and Dion Phaneuf in the box.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick

Nabby loses

Nabokov made 25 saves, but Germany shutout Russia 2-0. It's a win for
ex-Islander Uwe Krupp behind the German bench. Krupp, of course, has a famous
place in Islander history. Just over 21 years ago his OT goal, for Buffalo
against Pittsburgh, knocked the Isles into the playoffs. The Penguins had the
last laugh, drafting Jaromir Jagr 5th, ahead of the Isles pick of Scott
Scissons.

Canada begins their tourney right about now. John Tavares is the Isles' rep on
a squad that elected not to add Matt Moulson.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick

Islander got to good start in World Championships

...well, sorta.

Evgeny Nabokov stopped all 12 shots he faced in opening period. Russia 0,
Germany 0. End 1.

John Tavares and Canada are in action this afternoon (NY Time) -- it's a 2:15 ET
face-off wit Belarus,
Scott Gordon's Team USA plays their first game tomorrow at 10:15 AM NY Time.
Versus will have LIVE coverage of all Team USA games.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick

Fed Judge approves Plan to re-pay over $800 million -- Former Isles Owners Greenwood/Walsh firm

It was a much better week in Pittsburgh for two major universities than for its
hockey team...as Pitt and Carnegie Mellon recovered nearly $100 million lost in
a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by former Isles owners Paul Greenwood and Stephen
Walsh (of "Gang of 4" fame).

Read on:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_733932.html

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick

Volek/18

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The Pens have had many game 7 disappointments on home ice, including these two
that are very familiar to Isles fans:

<<May 14, 1993: David who?
Civic Arena
Islanders 4, Penguins 3
The Penguins finished the regular season with a NHL-record 17-game winning
streak, then crushed New Jersey in first round and were expected to destroy the
Islanders on their way to a third consecutive Stanley Cup. Many players from
that club still believe it was the greatest team in Penguins history. But it
couldn't finish off the Islanders, who won Game 6, 7-5, in Long Island, then
stunned the Penguins, 4-3, in Game 7 at Civic Arena when obscure forward David
Volek beat Tom Barrasso at 5:16 of overtime (Tom Fitzgerald also was on this
Islanders team). The game got off to a horrific start when Penguins winger Kevin
Stevens collided in mid-air with Islanders defenseman Rich Pilon. Stevens
sustained massive facial injuries. It marked the third time the Islanders
eliminated the Penguins in the deciding game of a playoff series. The Islanders
played the series without their best player, Pierre Turgeon. "Without a doubt,
we should have won it," Penguins defenseman Larry Murphy later said. "It just
goes to show: The best team doesn't always win the Stanley Cup."

April 26, 1975: Utter despair
Civic Arena
Islanders 1, Penguins 0
Ed Westfall scored the only goal — a backhander that beat goaltender Gary Inness
— with 5:18 left in regulation to complete the visiting New York Islanders'
comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit. The Penguins had their chances;
Pierre Larouche hit the post twice.
Westfall was late leaving the dressing room after the game and ran into Penguins
center Syl Apps, who wondered why Westfall was all by himself. "I told him,
'Everybody left. Where are you guys going?' "
Westfall later recalled. "He said, 'The Pleasure Bar.' So I went with the
Penguins players and their wives to the Pleasure Bar and sat there drinking
until sunrise.">>

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick