October to remember?

As the Isles continue to enjoy this really long break (they've played as many games as the Rockies have this month - 8), a couple of notes on the month:

The Isles have clinched a winning record for the second straight October (5-3-0 with 1 to play this year after going 5-4-2 last month) -- (winning meaning more points than games played). If the first time they've done it back-2-back since 2000 (4-3-2-0 on their way to a 21-win season) and 2001 (9-0-1-1). Before that, you'd have to go back to the mid 80's to find consecutive winning Octobers.

The Isles will have a winning record at the Coliseum for a fourth consecutive season --they hadn't done that since five straight winning Octobers from 1984 to 1988.

The Isles have six points in their first four home games for the fourth consecutive season. The Isles have won their first four home games twice and gone 3-0-1 three other times, but they haven't done better than six points in the first four at home since October 1984.

If the Isles can beat Carolina Saturday, they'll finish October with 6 wins -- a total reached in October only once (in 2001) since October 1992.

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 2,920 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", about six feet to Howie and Billy's left, at most Islander home games. For more on the actuarial profession, visit www.beanactuary.org