CHECKLIST: A Thanksgiving Interactive Blogitorial
How the Islanders Make Life Worth Living
Near the end of Woody Allen’s 1979 classic movie, Manhattan, his character Issac sits on a couch, talks into one of those things they used to call a tape recorder and makes a personal list of what makes life worth living. Our next Checklist, ideal for Thanksgiving, gives you the opportunity to share your list as it relates to the New York Islanders.
For reference, here’s what Woody says in the movie. Of course, it’s an esoteric list and – pre-Soon-Yi – includes some life foreshadowing by ending with the smile of his much-much-younger girlfriend named Tracey, played in the movie by Mariel Hemingway:
“Well, all right, why is life worth living? That’s a very good question. Well, there are certain things I guess that make it worthwhile. Uh, like what? Okay. Um, for me… oh, I would say… what, Groucho Marx, to name one thing…
“and Willie Mays…and the second movement of the Jupiter Symphony…and Louie Armstrong’s recording of ‘Potatohead Blues’…Swedish movies, naturally…’Sentimental Education’ by Flaubert…Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra…those incredible apples and pears by Cezanne…the crabs at Sam Wo’s…Tracy’s face.”
For authenticity, you have a max of 9 entries for your list and you should mix it up. Shouldn’t just be a bunch of players, but maybe a few players, a few moments – historical, small, whatever – a personal memory, sight, sound or smell, something that’s special to you.
Like our first Checklist on how this season will be judged, this blogitorial needs you to make it work. I have included my shot at it below. You send your list to the Comments space. Have fun with it!
How the Islanders Have Made Life Worth Living
- Bossy’s explanation of how he picked the corners: “I always tried to shoot it in the middle of the net”
- Ziggy Palffy, Kenny Jonsson
- April and May, 1993
- Nystrom, Gillies, Tonelli
- Those two weeks in April 2002 when people were so drunk with their love of the game they started talking about the Coliseum like it was the Montreal Forum
- The perfection of the Cup-winning series vs. Vancouver in 1982
- The look on our twin boys’ faces when Wade Dubielewicz took off his helmet and knelt down to take a photo after warmup last season at their 7th birthday party. (Cole and Luke are at right, in foreground).
- The sightlines from the Islanders press box
- Bill Guerin, savoring every experience, making every friend, giving back and living his sporting life the exact same way I used to dream I would if I was a professional athlete
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Okay. You take it from here. Happy Thanksgiving.
Only sincere entries related to this subject will be retained in Comments.
To talk about anything else, please go to the Pittsburgh game thread. Thank you.
68 Responses to “CHECKLIST: A Thanksgiving Interactive Blogitorial
How the Islanders Make Life Worth Living”
Please Wait
David Volek, top shelf over Penguins in overtime.
Turgeon sealing the deal against the Caps, only to get mugged by Hunter, and then watching the rest of the Isles on the ice pummel him and the rest of the Caps on the ice.
Al Arbour Night.
bates penalty shot
Eric Carrins pummeling shane corson then putting one finger up in the air and listening to the crowd just erupt. Or last season when the NVMC sold out crowd starting chanting “You cant beat us” as the Islanders were beat the rangers once agian.
Lets Go Islanders! Bring the cup back to were it belongs on long Island.
List in no particular order.
1. Gino Odjick and Trevor Linden
2. Bates Penalty Shot
3. Hitching a ride down Hempstead Turnpike from Sarant Cadillac in Farmingdale to get to a game however I could.
4. Having an article about my son in the Christmas edition of Islanders Illustrated last year.
5. Having a great Wife who is up for my task of seeing the Isles in all 30 cities. (Atlanta, NJ, NYR, Toronto, Pittsburgh, NVMC, Carolina down, next MONTREAL AND BOSTON!)
7. Trent Hunter, leaving 110% on the ice every shift every game.
8. This blog, finally some great consistent coverage!
9. (PRE-EMPTIVELY) The Lighthouse Project ground breaking. I hope I didn’t stop the fat lady.
By being the natural enemies of The Stinky Rangers.
19 consecutive playoff series wins
Billy Smith
Potvin
Howie Rose
- Being able to wear the logo of the team I love so much on my chest representing the state I am so proud to be from.
- The most successful American based hockey team
- Watching guys like Potvin, Bossy, Trottier, Turgeon, Thomas, Peca, Aucion, Bates play their hearts out for us.
- 4 Stanley Cups
- The Lighthouse Project!!!!!!!!
1.Ken Baumgartner & Mick Vukota with a little frontier justice for the hit on Patty Lafontaine against the Rangers in the playoffs.
2. David Volek vs. Pitt in game 7
3. Beating the Caps in 93 playoffs with 3 OT victories
4. Al Arbour night
5. Kasparatis destroying Lemieux in the Playoffs
-Hearing Jiggs and 18 call a game on the old Sportschannel on WHT cable
-DiP’s 50+ save contest vs. the Rangers
-Smitty’s comments on Gretzky in the 1983 Stanley Cup Finals
-The spring of 1993, which gave me happiness upon my move from Brooklyn to Staten Island
-Steve Thomas, Ray Ferraro, Chico, Glen Healy, Rich Pilon, Josh Bailey, Mark Streit
-Bringing back the old unis
-Going to Saturday night games with my brother and nephews
1) Bert Marshall
Nystrom (of course)
2) The Nixon Balloons
3) Al Arbour night, 2007
4) Opening day, 2001 — hockey’s back
5) Smitty shutting out the Oilers in the ‘83 series — the most underrated game of goal ever played.
6) The cowbell over section 318
7) Eddie Westfall
9) JP Parise beats the Rangers in OT, 1975
10) Hanging out with my frieds between periods.
1. Mike Bossy fying down the wing ready to take a shot
2. The NVMC during any playoff game
3. Ed Westfall on the mike.
4. Howie’s great stories
5. The Easter epic
6. Pilon Vs. Lindros
7. Bates vs Cujo
8. Smitty’s interview after he won the Con Smythe regarding Gretzky and Canada.
9. Hope ….. that we can win it all again
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Your Uncle Jr.
December 3, 2006 Kozlov’s 4 goal against Rangers at MSG. I was there…
Priceless.
Dubie’s poke check on Brylin in a shootout.
Watching Al Arbours new banner rise after earning one more well-deserved win.
(I was at both Al Arbour nights… Fichaud won the first one!)
Eric Cairns putting his finger in the air and not being able to love him any more than I did at that moment.
The TV cameras showing Kenny Jonssons face when the Isles finally made the playoffs again.
Watching a spunky little fourth liner become a goal scorer… the first hattrick of Jason Blakes career- and the only underwear hattrick I have ever heard of!
Okposo getting his first NHL goal on the best goaltender in the NHL.
Meeting Steve Webb when he was a rookie and years later hearing NVMC cheer his name.
Berard winning the Calder while on a team that didnt even make the playoffs.
Doing the wave at my first playoff game in 02… and finally knowing what a plyoff atmosphere really was as I watched the Isles turn NVMC back into Ft Neverlose for one more postseason.
Shawn Bates scoring the best penalty shot ever.
When we first got the logo back, getting to see it on the ice once again.
Ricky being named to the All-star team.
Peca winning the Selke after one hell of a season.
Dubies pokecheck putting the Isles in the playoffs.
Saying “19 playoff wins” and knowing that NO other team has ever done what your team did.
Wearing my Isles hat every single day as I walk past MSG… and being proud no matter what.
Christmass morning 1977 - opening a box with a #22 jersey with Bossy in blue letters… as a 10 year old. Then not taking it off for months.
DOC
Pierre Turgeon
Kasper Vs. Lemieux
The whole 1993 Playoff series
Ziggy Palffy
Uniting with Islanders fans and protesting the fisherman Jersey’s
Peca, Yashin, Aucoin and Osgood…We’re Back
4/16/02 We really are back!!!
The Playoff series against Toronto
Dubie’s magical run capped off by the pokecheck heard round the world
Scott Gordon, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Mark Streit and Joey MacDonald
Dubie’s poke check to put Isles in playoffs…Bates penalty shot….Isles remarkable comeback against Vancouver in 03-04. Ronning to Aucoin for the win……Mariusz Czerkawski for being a watchable offensive player on some bad teams…Sillinger goal against Pitt before time expiring a few years ago…Chris Osgood and his red wings pads
My top ten:
10. Ziggy. Always looked like he was having fun out there.
9. 1993. What a ride!
8. April 2002, they made me believe again.
7. Anders Kallur. One of the most underrated Islander of all time.
6. Battlin’ Billy, as clutch as they come.
5. Tonelli in game 5 against the peguins in 1982. He simply would not be denied. I got to play hockey with him many years later, what a super nice guy.
4. Bossy destroys the Canucks and Colin Campbell on the way to our 3rd straight cup.
3. Kenny Jonsson. He could play for my team any day of the week.
2. 1979-1983. The best sporting years of my life. We owned everyone.
1A. Charles Wang. Sure he’s made some mistakes, but he kept my beloved Islanders right where they belong, and for that, I will be forever grateful. No matter how bad this team has been, or will be, they will always be “our Islanders,” and we should never ever forget that.
1. Tonelli to Nystrom at 7:11 into overtime. As long as I live, I will never forget where I was at that moment in time (sitting in the dugout while our team was at bat during a little league game, listening on the radio.) For those who were not around to witness the pride and passion that was exhibited by all Long Islanders on that day,I really do hope that you do get to have that experience some day.
Honorable mention: Chris B. and his blog. I have read every word since its inception, and hopefully it will be around for many many years to come. Clearly, the best blog ever (IMHO).
1.Listening to the FAN-660 one Sat morning and hearing NY Isles sign Yashin than a few days later Peca.
2. Watching Peca and the boys play three games into the season and realizing WE’ER BACK!
The 2001-2002 Isles giving a 7 year old kid like me something to scream about
Dubies poke check to successfully bring the Islanders into the playoffs
Josh Bailey showing he can REALLY play, and the future I see in him on this team
That’s all I have right now.. hopefully there will be more to come?
I express Islander thankfulness for:
1) First game I went to 3/23/94, Isles come back from a 4-0 deficit and win in overtime. What an experience for a 10 year old.
2) Wayne Merrick selling insurance to my dad and sitting in my kitchen after his sale to talk hockey with me. Even letting me put on his Stanley Cup ring. Then before leaving shooting pucks with me in my driveway. Again what an experience for a 11 year old.
3) Attending training camp at the Rinx in Happauge in 95. I attended so much that Kasparaitis knew me by my first name.
4)My hope for this new team and for the future of Scott Gordons system. Still has a few kinks but i think it will work.
5) That the team has not moved, yet.
6) The Isles bought out Yashin.
7) Joey Mac has risen to the occassion and has given his heart and soul.
9) The Isles - Toronto series of 2002, truely made hockey exciting again.
10) The Isles brining me and my Fiancee together. If it wasnt for her being an Isles fan we would have never went on our first date to the Isles Toronto game April 13, 2006.
1) Kelly Hrudey
2) Bobby Nystrom
3) Having Jim Pickard( ex-Isles trainer)who lived around the corner from me, bring the Stanley Cup into my third grade class who his daughter was part of.
4) Seeing the Isles win 4 cups as a kid.
5)Being a player in the skate, stick, and shoot in 1989-where I was lucky to skate with the Isles during their practice.
6)Student discount nights at NVMC while I was attending SUNY Farmingdale.
Happy Thanksgiving to all the diehards here!!
I’m thankful for:
- Benoit Hogue, who scored a hat trick in my first NHL game.
- David Volek, whose goal is directly responsible for the long scar above my left knee (celebrating!).
- The Dynasty Team. I never got to watch them, but I aspire to see our NEW dynasty.
- Protesting the fisherman jersey
- Wang saving the Islanders
- Hugging people I didn’t know after the Bates penalty shot
- Al Arbour Night (both of them)
- A bright future led by Snow, Gordon, DP, Bailey, Comeau, Petrov, Okposo, Bergenheim, et al
- The imminent groundbreaking for the Lighthouse that will keep our team where it belongs
- My future wife (whoever she may be), whom I hope will understand my irrational love for this team.
I also want to add walking to the Coliseum for weekday games from Kellenberg after school
And guys like CB, Logan, and BD Gallof (now I’ll stop)
1. Ziggy and KJ bringing some joy to the “dark days”.
2. The Bates penalty shot, which allowed me the chance to go to my first every playoff game, which was easily one of my favorite experiences at the Coliseum.
3. Watching Bryan Berard sign autographs after a game - the guy didn’t miss one person, even when his friends were begging him to come over to Pitchers.
4. Going to a charity softball game with my dad - spur of the moment - to watch some Isles take on a blind team, and winning an autographed jersey to boot.
5. Getting an appreciative look from Dave Scatchard while watching the Isles beat the Devs at the old CAA.
6. Wearing my Isles jersey to a Baby Pens game and being the only fan in the crowd rooting for Bridgeport. And seeing them win.
7. Being at the Garden to witness Satan give the team the first shootout win in team history - in their first shootout.
8. Growing up with the game and being able to share the joy of visiting the Coliseum with my Dad, Mom, step-Dad, girlfriend, friends, and teammates. There are bigger, nicer, newer buildings in the league, but nothing will ever replace the Coliseum.
With regard to the Islanders, I am thankful for:
1. The year my daughter, who had a math class full of hockey fans, decided to watch some games and roped me into watching with her so we could learn the sport and she could talk with her classmates. Little did she know then what she started with me.
2. The fact that hockey is the most exciting sport there is and the Islanders do their part regularly to keep things interesting.
3. Looking for and finding fan sites, realizing that the people who frequent them, and run them, are such passionate die hards, realizing I was in the right place.
4. Being in a sold out NVMC during a playoff game and finally feeling what others described!
5. The smiles and genuine happiness the players feel for each other when they “beat the odds”, so to speak, from time to time. (Dube’s poke check for example)
6. The fact that, year after year, when the season is over, the Isles somehow manage to make me look forward to the next one!
7. Getting to know some really great people. NYI
Bobby Nystrom scoring in OT to win the cup for the first time.
Mike Bossy 50 goals in 50 games… actually Bossy period… one of the greatest snipers ever.
Kenny Morrow… game 5 versus the Rangers in OT to get the Stanley Cup run started again. Steady as they come.
Billy Smith during the drive for five… for dropping the gloves after game 2 of the conference final and beating on Montreal back up goalie Richard Sevigny in the Montreal Forum. The Isles went home and then won 4 straight to go to the finals.
Kelly Hrudey versus the Washington Capitals Easter Epic. 70 + saves, Pat LaFontaine’s game winner… and whole lot of trouble when I got home late from the girlfriends… I was 16 at the time.
Al Arbour and Bill Torrey for building a dynasty. Arbour for that magical 92/93 series versus Pittsburgh and David Volek nailing the top shelf… what a rush.
2002 when the team revived from the doldrums and that 7 game playoff series vs T.O. Hope has been restored.
Teddy Nolan, for bringing a sense stability and making fans like me believe that no matter who was on the ice teh Isles would work their butts off.
Finally… in the history of the NYI… I like to refer to them as the Never Say DieLanders. From fighting back in 75, twice, to coming back against Pittsburgh in 83, to finding ways to get it done when their backs were against the wall. The Islanders are the one team I am utterly passionate about.
The joy of seeing my son Bradley’s face after he shot the puck into the net after the Veterans Day game against the Flyers…
The feeling of relief at 7:11 of overtime on 5/24/80…..
The atmosphere at the Coliseum when its filled…
Really, just anytime watching a game in person or on tv. They’ve always been a part of my life. Win or lose.
That logo always has meaning.
in no order….comig from a 20 year old..
1. Bates Penalty Shot
2. Game 3 of the 2002 quarterfinals
3. Dubie and Easter ‘07
4.A Few Weeks of Ryan Smyth
5.Game 6 of the 2002 quarterfinals
6. Game 1 2003 quarterfinals
7. Billy Gurein acting with more class then i can comprehend.
8. The guts of Witt
9.” DP! DP!”
10. The Future. Bailey. Okposo.
11. Scott Gordon
12. The way the old barn still and will ALWAYS rock when things are going good.
13. The hope that thing will get better.
-For reasons I’m still not clear about, asking my Dad to get tickets to the Islanders’ second ever game instead of their first and seeing Germain Gagnon (#7) split the L.A. Kings defense in the game’s last minute and roof the puck over Rogie Vachon’s shoulder for the Islanders’ first ever win.
-Chasing my Rangers fan friend Danny out of my house when J.P. Parise scored in OT to win our first playoff series.
-Listening to John Sterling scream “Islander goal!! Islander goal!! Islander goal!!” on WMCA radio.
-Listening to and watching Jiggs and Eddie.
-Experiencing the Bates penalty shot with my son.
-Just hanging out during the games in section 303–it’s kind of like “Cheers,” you know, “where everybody knows your name.”
Happy Thanksgiving to all
- Leon Stickle
- Billy Smith
- Slipping $5.oo to an usher to sneak into the Coliseum when I was 12.(1981)
- Bossy’s 50 in 50
- Attending a 7 to 5 Isles win over the Bruins while I was in college in Boston
- David Volek
- My first and only game with my Dad at NVMC when I was 5(1975), a win over the Rangers
- Family friend and team Chaplain, Father Dan who introduced me to Potvin, Bossy, Gillies, Trottier and Langevin for autographs in a now missing book about the Isles early years (1979)
- Islanders Point Blank
-NHL Center Ice (I go to school in Albany)
-Games 3,4 and 6 of the 2002 Quarter Finals Series
-Mark Parrish, Pierre Turegon
- Dubie and Joey Mac
- Charles Wang for being the owner
-LaFonatine’s Easter Epic
-Alan Hahn and Peter Botte’s “Fish Sticks”
- Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo
- Chris Botta, you are the man, you keep me connected to the Islanders while I am in Albany. Love the blog, please keep it up
Mostly childhood memories:
-Taking a hockey clinic with Trottier and Nystrom at Dix Hills Ice Rink.
-Seeing Clark Gillies at Pathmark in Dix Hills (several times)
-After skating at Cantiague Park, my cousin and I found ourselves in the middle of the entire Islanders team. They were taking a bus from Cantigue for an away game. I didn’t have any paper to get autographs, so my aunt dug a 7up coupon out of her purse. I definitely got a few laughs:)
-Seeing a rookie Kaspar trying on winter hats with his parents at Hermans in Huntington (right after it moved to the Whitman Mall).
-The beginning of the 2001 season
-The 2001 playoffs
-Hitting refresh on my Yahoo sports page every 15 seconds to see if Dubie could hold off the Devils. Not as good as seeing it, but still a great feeling.
-Living in Los Angeles and being able to watch every Isles game on the internet. Gotta love technology!
-Watching the Isles win their next four Cups! One can dream.
I absolutely live for the atmosphere in and around the Coli after a win. There’s no place like home. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
watching chris campoli going from green to #14 goal scoring man
1. Kenny Morrow’s open-netter for number 4
2. Going to free games in the early 90’s EVERY GAME, because my buddy’s brother BObby Smith was the video guy, Thanks Smitty for all the tickets.
3. Being part of trading Mikko Makela. Torrey came into the video room and saw us watching film of Makela kicking a puck into his own net. He asked us what we thought of the play…next day Makela was dealt to LA….sorry.
4. Hrudey and the 73 saves.
5. Rollie the goalie
6. My first ever jersey…home (white) Bossy jersey.
7. Debbie Delallo for loving Don Maloney….lots of fun ragging on her after Islander wins.
8. Jiggs and Eddie…..the best!!!!
9. Gerald Diduck….mom was president of his fan club, became great frind of family….drank everyone under the table at my wedding.
10. The Future…..I will cry like a baby when this lovable franchise wins another cup.
Happy Thanksgiving CB
Just READING the comments left by everyone brought the emotion out of me on this Thanksgiving Day. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
10. Butch Goring — from his helmet to key face-off wins, the Final Piece remains a personal favorite player over my 40 years of NHL fanhood.
9. Going to the CAP CENTRE back in 82 with my white ISLANDERS sweater on, getting ragged unmercifully by the DC fans, then leaving in a PURPLE taxi talking MUCH trash after yet another dominating performance.
8. The Easter Epic. Watched the game in Biloxi, MS; 2 minutes to go in regulation a friend calls to tell me her hubby is suicidal……talk to them until the 3rd OT is about to commence, at which time I tell her “Look, this is the 3rd OT in Game 7…if he hasn’t killed himself by now, tell him to get in front of the TV and watch a classic performance for the ages” then I hung up. The game left me drenched in sweat and absolutely exhausted.
7. John Tonelli & Bobby Nystrom’s effort every single game of every single season.
6. Denis Charles Potvin, Clark Gillies, Billy Smith — guts, talent, work ethic and the REFUSAL to lose, whether it was Game 1 of the regular season or the Cup-clincher.
5. Mark Parrish, Jason Blake, and Trent Hunter—my 3 personal favorites of the last 15 years.
4. Bryan Trottier & Mike Bossy—-they were soooooooooooo incredibly dominant, I could’ve scored 25 goals a season playing on their line. 50 in 50; 69 goals; MVPs, Conn Smythes, Rookie of the Year—2 Hall of Famers — like putting peanut butter & chocolate together into a Reese’s Cup—-perfection and a legacy forever
3. 1982 Finals: very close to perfect play for 240 minutes.
2. Saturday May 24, 1980; 7:11; the late Dan Kelly calling the game on CBS. the Cup was OURS and we beat the hated FLYERS, owners of a 35-game unbeaten streak that season
1. 1983—-shutting out GRETZ & Company—like an earlier poster said, Billy’s performance that evening was truly one of the most underappreciated Cup Finals goaltending efforts of all-time.
I have goose bumps re-reading this list and I’m sure if I did it again in 3 weeks, I’d have different entries…..I was 9 when they came into existence, and through 8 win seasons, the disappointment of 79 vs the hated NYR, the Cup years, and the last 15 years, it has been interesting and enjoyable. HT to all!
-1977 Lanny McDonald(Maple Leafs) scores in overtime to knock the Islanders out of the playoffs. I became an Islander fan for life!- May 24/80 Bobby Nystrom scores in overtime.- Traveling to New York city and watching a game at NVMC.Washington won and Bondra scores 4, but who cares.- Meeting Mr. Nystrom in person at my place of buissness in Quesnel, British Columbia.- Mr.Wang for buying the Islanders and committed to keeping them on Long Island.
Getting hammered drunk with Ziggy P,Steve Webb and B.Berard drinking Jaggermeister
All 4 cups!
Pierre Turgeon and D. King
Travis Green, Brad Dalgarno,Marty Mcinnis on the kid line
Last playoff series with the Laffs
Bossy
Potvin
-1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics…saw Pat LaFontaine for the first time. 19 years old kid in the team USA was flying on the ice
-1996 Vienna WC…meet Darius Kasparaitis in the local zoo, admiring polar bears.Talk to him a lot during the Championship - guy is crazy, but so warm inside
-IslanderMANIA…posters there make me laugh,sometimes nervous and angry,but…I love them all
I’m thankful for:
-The play of Ray Ferraro that made me fall in love with the game.
-The four sets of ice level tickets that were my birthday gift when I first married my husband.
-The smile of Clark Gillies at every charity event.
-The speed, tenacity and hustle of a young Jason Blake that made me fall BACK in the love with the game
-The Islanders necklace with the gold “55” on it for my 11th anniversary from a man who truly understands me.
-The friends I have made on NY Islanders Country and the comfort and support they have given me over the years.
-The pre-game skates where I stood at the glass, camera in hand, and occasionally caught a smile.
-The essay I wrote that Charles Wang chose as the winner of an NHL contest.
And last but not least:
The passion, dedication and unparalleled talent of one ex-PR guy.
Happy Thanksgiving Islanders fans.
- My mother yelling for two hours to go to bed because it was “Easter tomorrow and that hockey game has to be over by now.”
- Kenny “The Wolf” Morrow
- Fort Neverlose
- Mad Mike, for relentlessly trying to win a Stanley Cup on $5 a day.
- David Volek’s first interview
- Mick Vukota’s hat trick
- Every “Potvin Sucks” chant ever uttered . . . each one a jealous affirmation of his greatness.
- Richard Park, the hardest working man in show business.
1) Has to be May 24th, 1980 - the day of my first communion and the day that I’ll never forget. My party turned into a crazy celebration when Nystrom scored. Favorite moment…..ever!!!!
Bobby Nystrom!!!!!
2) The run in 1993 was so amazing. Beating the Caps and Pens the way we did, it was a thrill. Who would’ve thought we’d be waiting this long for another playoff series win? LOL
3) 19 straight playoff series victories - no one can ever take that away from us.
4) Bossy’s 50th goal in the 50th game against Quebec….remember it like yesterday.
5) Bates penatly shot in Game 4 - WOW!!!!
6) Trading for Yashin and Peca; getting Osgood on the waiver draft. The Isles were back.
7) When the Isles clinched the playoffs in 2002 at home against the Caps. I was so happy, I cried (my dad, who died in 99, hoped we’d be able to see one more run before he passed away….sadly, we didn’t).
9) This site! Chris, you do such a great job on here. Thank you for feeding us all the great coverage that we crave.
My list is short, as I haven’t been an Islanders fan all that long, and they are all related kind of
1.) Kenny Jonsson. The reason I am an Islanders fan. I was once a young, stupid Maple Leafs fan, until he was traded and I traded in my blue and white for blue and orange.
2.) 2002, seeing the team finally make the playoffs, and fighting hard all the way to the end.
3.) Bates’ Penalty shot.
The weekend, the islanders traded for Yashin and Peca, ( and also aucion) Couldn’t stop watching the bottom line on espn. Say what u want about those trades later on, but that weekend it was great
Listing as they come to me:
1) Nystrom’s Goal in Overtime to be the hated Flyers while going to college at Lehigh U, in the heart of Flyer country and the next 3 years having bragging right…
2) Listening in the car on the ride home after Passover Dinner that the Game was still going on and getting home to watch the puck go in off of Lafontaine stick to beat Washington.
3) Miracle comeback against Pittsburgh when we thought our season was over.
4) Beating the Strangers on J.P. Parise goal, to win the series. The birth of the rivalry.
5) Tonelli turning pulling the Isles back from Dead in the third period to keep the streak alive.
6) Bates Penalty Shot
7) Pierre Turgeon before the Hunter hit
9) Every home game
Needed to add, Brian Mullen signing a stick for me at a charity game after finding out I had same heart surgery as him. Then bringing me to the locker room to meet the other players. Experience Ill never forget.
1. Paying $ 3.50 for a ticket to the first Islanders game vs Atlanta.
2. Parise to Drouin !! Score….
3. Section 337 row H for the first 17 years. Section 309 for the rest.
4. The 1980 US Olympic Team. THE most special moment in any sport of all time.
5. Ken Morrow joins the Islanders like he belonged there all his life.
6. Denis Potvin hip checks.
7. The always underrated Dave Langevin crushing an opposing forward behind the net.
8. Spending an hour on the phone with Mike Milbury when he called every season ticket holder during the lockout just talking hockey. Like talking to your best friend. An amazing experience.
9. Just being there for the Dynasty and seeing two Stanley Cups raised on home ice.
10. Helping my 9 year old autistic son shoot the puck into the net from the blueline between periods of the NYPD vs FDNY game at the Coliseum. The place exploded in a standing ovation as he won a Playstation. He never knew why the crowd was cheering, but he knew it was for him. No better feeling….EVER.
A few things, most where I was actually in attendance:
–A Saturday afternoon game in February 1996 , Isles vs. Sharks, Islanders win, where I took my father and my daughter, then 8. Three generations of hockey fans, with my father’s side being all Canadian. A few months later, he died unexpectedly, but we have that one game where the grandfather, son and granddaughter all came together to keep the family tradition alive. Now she’s a huge fan.
–Being with my father at game 6 against the Caps in ‘93, a great victory but leaving with a sour taste in all our mouths due to that piece of dirt Dale Hunter.
–May 14, 1993. My son is born in the morning, Volek puts it past Barasso in the evening.
–The next year getting a pair of matching jerseys for my daughters, one of them 3, the other 6, one with 77 on the back, the other with 33.
–A surprise extra ticket in May 1987 to see game 6 vs. the Flyers, as we tie it up 3-3 and Mikko Makela scores. I’m just a few rows behind the net.
–That great late-season game in ‘93 at MSG when Turgeon scores in OT to beat the Rangers, his 50th that year. As they skate off, Ray Ferraro makes this derisive golf swing to a few heckling Rangers fans. The gesture said it all: get out the golf clubs.
–Having gotten moved down to the handicapped section in 2002, because an extra camera was set up in our seat, for game 6 vs. the Leafs. Before the game, a series of signs were put up on the board, which said (I think) Back in our house (and then) We do this one for Kenny and Mike. The roar became almost guttural when the second one went up; I had never heard it quite like that. It shook me to my bones, and from that great seat right above the first bowl, as I looked up on that arena just roaring “Let’s Go Islanders,” it was so emotional after all those years of being one of the worst teams in the league. They won that night, of course, and they should have won the whole series, if it wasn’t for the headhunting Leafs.
1 - Being a kid and hearing my dad watch the Easter Epic in the basement thinking the Easter Bunny was in the house… little did I know it was the Isles.
2 - Going to my first game in the mid to late 80s and losing to the Pens 8-2 but coming home with a mini-stick.
3 - Being able to YouTube a bunch of Dynasty clips that unfortunately I either wasn’t around for or was barely out of a diaper.
4 - 2002 Playoffs and hearing the coliseum roar and the building shake.
5 - Being able to get discounted tickets while I was in college (and out of college - little did they know).
6 - Several games at MSG watching the Isles smack the Rangers around and hearing a “crackhead theo” chant at MSG.
7 - Being at the coliseum either last year or the year before and the Isles tying the game in the last few seconds, only to jump up and practically break my girlfriend’s nose.
8 - Still rockin’ my white Aucoin Jersey with the beer and food stains that were placed on it by the hands of Rangers fans.
9 - STEVE WEBB
10 - Knowing we are on the right track finally and that success is in the very near future.
Happy Thanksgiving to all and LETS GO ISLANDERS!!
1. Being at Game Four of the 1990 play-offs against the Rangers when Brent Sutter scored in overtime to prevent a series sweep.
2. Being at Game Four of the 1993 play-offs against the Penguins when Tom Fitzgerald scored two shorthanded goals on the same penalty.
3. The posters on the concourse made from the back pages of Newsday of all four Cup wins.
4. Kelly Hrudey taking time to sign autographs after practice at Cantiague.
5. Mick Vukota taking the time to sign an autograph for me (10 years old at the time)after recognizing him at Syosset Sports.
6. The look of surprise and appreciation on Jeff Norton’s face when I asked him for an autograph, and no one else seemed to know who he was.
7. My first Islander jersey in 1984: home Greg Gilbert #17
8. The memories of going to games with my dad (the man who made me an obsessive Islander fan), esp. my first game as a 6 year old in 1984: a pre-season game between the Isles and Sabres.
9. Listening to and learning so much about hockey from Jiggs, Eddie and Stan.
1. Islander draftees at Boston University and BU players on the Isle.
2. Having nothing but respect for BC’s Bill Guerin
3. Sott Gordon’s uptempo style…aka treating the game with dignity
4.Kelly Hrudey helmet with the sock out the back
5. Seeing John Curry, as beloved a player that’s ever been at BU, (that includes you, Chris Drury) get his first NHL win in a heratbreaking loss for us. Such is life.
6. Shootouts. Hey Howie, a skills comeptition…seriously? Yeah, God forbid any one sees any skill at a hockey game anymore
7. Brendan Witt, who you could easily imagine taking a bullet for the president.
8. Living among Ranger fans and having somethin all their money and PR can’t buy…autheticity.
9. This blog…which gives no quarter regarding the team, butnever loses hope.
What a great read on Thanksgiving night. . here’s my favorites :
– Hugging people I didn’t know after Ferraro beat the Caps in 2OT. . Gm 4 in 1993 - my first playoff game.
– the “1940″ chants
– Steve Webb’s hits - especially when he laid out Theo Fleury in center ice in March 2002
– Miraculous final week of the 07 season. . Being at the movies the night before the Easter Devils game. . Tarantino’s Grindhouse. . refreshing my phone every 15 seconds to see the Canadiens / Maple Leafs score. . had to get up and leave the movie to scream when I saw that Leafs had won setting up Sunday and Doobie’s pokecheck.
– Scaring the daylights out of my parents with my screaming after Volek’s Gm 7 winner in 93
– The sound and the passion in the coliseum during the 2002 playoffs - especially Game 6.
– Randomly passing by the Isles in the lobby of their Montreal hotel this past March after driving up 6 hours for the game - and having them all be the so genuinely great. Park, Witt, Gervais, Nolan all taking the time to talk hockey and take photos. Just awesome.
– Meeting the greatest girl. . and then finding out she loved hockey and the Islanders as much as me. Looking forward to sharing a lot of playoff wins and Cups with her in the future.
– Being able to watch the development of the Bailey, Neilsen and Okposo and them helping us get back to being contenders.
– this blog - CB thanks for all your work and dedication - please keep it going.
Happy Thanksgiving all - Lets go isles!
1.being proped by my mom in front of the tv to watch games before I could sit up straight
2. Al Arbour Night
3. The eventual firing of mad mike
4. When you make a great play and your teammate compares you to your favorite islander
5.The sheer joy of beating the rangers
6. The gum on my seat
7. The Hot Dogs
8. knowing that we never got or will have a somo wrestler for a goalie
9. the 4 banners in the rafters that predate me, but more than legitimize my team to an outsider with no further explaination needed
10. that my dad was willing to pay to bring me to games even when the team played some of their worst hockey in history and made some of my best childhood memories
-Morning skates, I snuck in a few times.
-Claude Lapointe’s hustle.
-David Volek,we named the dog after him.
-Tim Connolly’s stick handling.
- Waking up early for Easter mass, just in time to see LaFontaine score in the 7th period
- Attending my first ever game as the Islanders beat the Sharks 8-4 back in 1991. I believe it was Turgeon & Hogue’s Islanders debut. Mick Vukota fought Jeff Odgers in his first NHL game that night
- Attending several Islanders charity softball games each summer
- Having my mother drop me and my friend Anthony off at the Marriot @ 8:30 in the morning so we could hound autographs all day
- My excitement when the Islanders called up Steve Webb & Ken Belanger from the Kentucky Thorougblades
- John Spano, Brett Lindros, Don Maloney, Kirk Muller, & Mike Milbury changed my perspective on life ha
- Meeting players @ Islanders fan fest (for the dumb skills competition), and Island harvest charity event @ FAO Schwartz in the Roosevelt Field Mall
- Recording every game and making dumb fight tapes out of them
- Playing street hockey while sporting a Mick Vukota jersey
and the list goes on…
1. Gillies vs. Dave Schultz
2. The Islanders Summer Hockey clinic at Cantiogue Park which I was lucky enough to attend during the glory years. Got skating and hockey tips from Bryan Trottier, Gillies, Nystrom, Tonelli, Arbour and more. Skills that still come in handy to this 43 year-old.
3. 7:11 of overtime, 5/24/80
4. Ed Westfall and Jiggs Mcdonald
5. The 1980 playoff series against the Bruins.
6. Bossy’s 50 in 50.
7. The Toronto series in 2002. Steve Webb.
8. Al Arbour Night
9. Dubie and his light sabre!
10. Bobby Nystrom taking on Tiger Williams in the playoffs.
9. Bossy’s 50 goals in 50 games.
8. Having to ask Clark Gillies to vacate the putting green at the Huntington Crescent Club so I could water it (he was very nice about it).
7. Butch Goring buzzing around the ice in that funky helmet.
6. Bob Bourne going end to end - - Man, could that guy skate!
5. Pierre Turgeon in the ‘93 Playoffs.
4. My first game at NVMC - April 1, 1978.
3. The ragging I take for being an Islanders fan - - I wear my loyalty like a badge of honor.
2. Pat LaFontaine scoring in the fourth overtime of that playoff game against the Capitals.
1. Tonelli to Nystrom . . . He scores!!
1) Wondering what all the happiness was about when my father jumped for joy as JP Parise scored in 75
2) JT scores twice to beat the Pens in 82
3) Ken Morrow
4) Bill Gallo’s cartoons of all the Isles faces after the Cup wins
5) The sound of the old barn as the Isles came out for the third period against Washington, Game 6 in 93.
6) Billy Smith’s Conn Smythe interview
7) Banging pots and pans out my window after 7:11 of OT
9) Easter morning, 1987, with my father, knowing EXACTLY what all the happiness was about
1. The ‘93 Penguins series
2. Honking your car horn to the tune of Let’s Go Islanders before the game and after a win.
3. Meeting Bobby Nystrom at a LI soccer tournament(Eric had a game right near me, thats when my dad introduced me to hockey)
4. Sportschannel with Jiggs and Westfall calling the games
5. The old barn, some amazing memories but the old lady needs a facelift. WE WANT THE LIGHTHOUSE
6. Having a past to dwell on(wish i was a few years older to remember them) having a future to look to.(Okposo to Bailey…Bailey to Okposo…one timer he scores!!!! I would be fine hearing that about 50 times a season)
7. Walking through the LIRR train on the way home from MSG after an Islanders win over the forever hated Rangers, the truest NY-NY rivalry, slapping hands with the Islander fans, and listening to silence from the Ranger fans
8. Being the underdog
i’m thankful for my first islanders jersey #77 pierre turgeon (probably true for many of the fans of my generation), and being MAN ENOUGH to remain a die hard loyal fan of this team long enough to see us start the 01/02 season 11-1-1-1 when many of my friends had bailed on the team and there was only 2 or 3 of us left.
i’m thankful for the fact we got 3 home playoff games in 2002 which were arguably my 3 favorite nights of my life and being in attendance all three games. no where else i’d rather be.
and i’m thankful for not being a RANGERS fan!!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
My List…
- Mike Bossy, my hero
- 4 Straight Cups
- Ken Morrow, for having been part of the greatest season a hockey player could have a Gold Medal and a Stanley Cup.
- Butch Goring for his ugly helmet and playing an entire playoff series with 40 stitches
- Battlin Billy Smith, for playing his best when it counted the most
- Tonelli, Trots and Potvin
- Clark Gilles and Bobby Nystrom for showing everyone that it’s better to be feared.
- Pierre Turgeon for having his deadly wrist shot
- David Volek who I really liked even before April 1993.
- Steve Thomas and his speed
- Ziggy’s goals…
- Ray Ferraro who was acquired for Doug Crossman (i loved him for some reason) and who became a favorite of mine.
- Kinger, Hogie and Sneaky Pete…
- Blakey, Webby and Yash
- Ricky
- The day our rookie, inexperienced GM traded a lazy prospect, a 1st round mistake and a 1st round pick in a bad draft for Ryan Smyth.
- Josh Bailey, Aaron Ness, Kirill Petrov, Corey Trivino, Travis Hamonic, David Toews and the rest of the class of 2008.
- Charles Wang, who sometimes seems like the one man who cares about keeping the Islanders around forever.
- Joey, Footer, Mike, Jimmy, Angry Phil, the Hanson Brothers and the rest of section 309.
- and most importantly the dream of the Stanley Cup once again coming home to the Nassau Coliseum.
-Screaming “Get off the ice, Volek!” at Islander games sometime before I was ten.
-My dad saying that Darius Kasparaitis sounded more like a disease than a person.
-My perpetual hatred for Dale Hunter.
-Mick Vukota.
-Consistently updating my hockey video games to reflect up-to-date rosters every year since the create-a-player function was introduced.
-Being relevant again under Laviolette.
-Being in the Coliseum for Bates’ penalty shot.
-Feeling like Andy Dufresne after his trek through the sewage pipe when I was driving on Merrick Ave and heard about Milbury stepping down as GM.
-The feeling of having a major sports franchise literally five minutes from my house.
1. Ziggy and Turgeon
2. Kaspar vs. Mario in 93
3. David Volek 93
4. Bates Shootout goal
5. Glenn Healy & DP
6. Aucoin & Jonsson
7. Through all the lean years always giving the Rangers hell no matter what kind of talent we have
8. Laviolette giving us a taste of being relevant
9. Seeing Milbury go
And how could I forget Jason Blake!!!
-Cant remember the year.. but being in the coliseum for the last game of the season against the Flyers and the Isles had to win to make the playoffs. I think they won 6-2. But the Sabres had to win as well… and they put on their game on the TV and Uwe Kruup scored in OT to send the Isles to the playoffs.. (cant remember who they had to beat)
-1940 chants. And the Rag$ fans had no comeback.
-David Volek 93
-Being at the games in 02 vs Toronto. Everytime the Leafs sacored, the Isles fans would go right into a Lets go Isles chant. The coliseum was SO loud. Incredible.
-Bates Penalty Shot
-As a kid playing street hockey.. and as I got older.. idolized Glenn Healy and studied his style to be a better goalie.
-Heals and Flats show
-8 years old playing Stanley Cup Playoff Hockey (Rod Hockey) Which had Isles vs Flyers players for the game.
-Witnessing Hunters hit on Turgeon
-Going to BP games during the lockout grilling up some dogs and burgers in the parking lot. If you havent been up there to see a game.. you should go. Small rink. Every seat is great.
-Going to an Isles charity event with the GF and being a wallflower.
-Anxious for the future. Welcome to the Isles Bailey.
-I will cry my eyes out when they win again.
Being at the coliseum for their 2nd cup win.
Billy Smith’s interview after the 4th cup…explaining the penalty he drew with his dive… he wanted to show Gretzky he wasn’t the only actor on the ice.
Being at the coliseum for the Detroit Red Wings game after Islanders hot start in 2001-2002 season. Fans were rocking the old barn with Lets Go Islanders chant… 5 minutes before the Isles even took the ice.