Record-setting night in Boston

Howie and Chris mentioned late in the game that the Islanders were closing in on a club record for shots on game --54, set in 1994 in Hartford and equaled in 2004 in Florida. While they fell short of that record, the Isles outshot Boston 51-44 for the game [including 21-19 in the third period]. The 95 combined shots is the most in any regular season game in Islander history. The record-setting shot was taken by future Hall-of-Famer Brian Leetch, who launched a 142 foot slap shot just before the final horn. The previous record, 94, was set on October 12, 1993 in Los Angeles. The Isles outshot the Kings 51-43, but fell 7-5 to the Kings in the final game of their 1-3-0 season-opening road trip. One player who scored in that game also scored in this one: Alexei Zhitnik.

Bad....but historical... and a 25th anniversary worth noting

The Isles have now been outscored 12-1 in their last 2 home games. The -11 goal differential is the second worst in club history. In March 2000, the Islanders lost consecutive home games by an 8-2 score to Pittsburgh and New Jersey -- the latter game was Larry Robinson's Devil debut. Despite winning his first game, the Isles have been outscored 15-5 in three home games under Brad Shaw. It's the fourteenth time in club history that the Isles have been outscored by at least ten goals in a three home-game span. [Several of the previous streaks were overlapping.] The club record over three home games is -14, also set in March 2000. By the way, eleven of those fourteen streaks have occurred in the last ten seasons; the other three all occurred under Phil Goyette in the first 21 home games of the club's history. The Isles were NEVER outscored by ten goals in a three home-game stretch under Al Arbour. They lost three games by a combined 14-5 in early 1989 -- home games 7-9 of Arbour's second tenure. Speaking of Arbour, he was behind the bench 25 years ago tonight -- when Mike Bossy scored goals 49 and 50 in his 50th game, to tie Rocket Richard's record. The event was mentioned on tonight's Islander telecast and radiocast, and the Devils telecast. Ron Grahame, whose son John will represent Team USA was the goaltender who game up the milestone goal; Isles defensemen Stefan Persson had five assists -- one short of the still-standing club record, which was set two weeks earlier by Bossy. Finally, a sad and fond farewell to Tim Moriarty, a Hall of Fame writer who among other works authored "The Incredible Islanders", which chronicled the 1975 team. Moriarty, who retired from Newsday nearly two decades ago, pased away today at the age of 82. Forever1940 is the nom de plume of FSN statistician Eric Hornick. Eric is now in his 25th year as the statistician on Islander home telecasts and has also worked the Stanley Cup Finals four times. Often referred to on-air as an actuary, he is one of 2,782 Fellows of the Casualty Actuarial Society and is the Vice President of the Casualty Actuaries of Greater NY. You can find him in the "Best Seat in the House", about six feet to Howie and Joe's left, at most Islander home games. For more on the actuarial profession, visit www.beanactuary.org