Stat Trick

1. The Isles are 0-3 vs Canadian opponents this season and
0-5-1 in their last six games against their neighbors to the
North. It's their longest winless streak against Canada since an
0-7-3-1 stretch in the 1999-2000 season.

2. The Isles have allowed (at least) four goals in three
straight games for the first time this season.

3. Blake Comeau is only the third Islander to wear #57. Shawn
Evans [1 goal (his only one in the NHL) in 2 games in 1989-90
season] and Mark Hamway [53 games in three seasons for the
Isles, going 5-13-18] are the others, although Hamway may have
worn 57 for only two games in the 1984-85 season.

Stat Trick

The PRLD (Post-Ranger Letdown) lives!

1. In their last 32 games following a game against the Rangers,
the Isles are 7 wins, 18 losses, 4 ties, and 3 ot losses. (This
includes a 1-2 record in the back half of home/homes with the
Rangers.)

2. In their last 11 games following a win against the Rangers,
the Isles are 1-7-3, with the only win coming in the back-half
of the home and home in October, 2005.

3. The Isles have played Ottawa in the game following the
Rangers eight times in their history. They haven't won once --
four losses, three ties, and an overtime loss. They'll have
another shot on December 27th in Ottawa, after hosting the
Rangers on December 26th.

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.