Stat Trick: Carolina 3, Isles 2 (OT)

1. It's a good thing for the Isles that there are loser points, because the Isles dropped their 7th of the last 10 with a 3-2 defeat at the MLK matinee. By NHL standards though the Isles are .500 in that stretch: 3-3-4.

2. It's the first time all season that the Isles haven't won a game they led after 2 periods (15-0-1). The Isles were the last team in the East to drop a point in a game they led after 40 minutes. Minnesota and Vancouver are the only remaining perfect teams. The Isles are one of 10 teams that has gotten a point in every game they've led after two periods this season. In fact, in the Nolan era, the Isles have lost only 1 game in regulation that they led after 2 pds - -the night DiPietro got hurt in Montreal.

3. The Hurricanes win both games at the Coliseum for the 2nd time in the last four seasons. This afternoon's game marked the start of the third home-and-home since the Whalers moved to Carolina. The team that has won the first game has won the second game both previous times.

and a few more..

4. Miro Satan's goal ended a 12-game goalless streak while Andy Hilbert ended a stretch of 10 straight without scoring.

5. The Isles played the first 58 1/2 minutes without allowing a pp. Of course it was the second of the back-to-back penalties that killed them in overtime.

6. The Isles have had 2-goal leads at some point in five of the last 6 games yet have blown that lead three times (Calgary - won OT, Philly - lost regulation, Carolina - lost OT). They protected a 2-goal lead for the final 13 minutes in Ottawa and added an empty-netter for the two-goal margin vs. New Jersey.

7. On the farm, Jeff Tambellini recorded his 25th goal of the AHL season in Bridgeport's 2-1 win over Portland. BTW, it looks like Okposo has been moved off of Tambellini's line.

8. Tim Jackman recorded his eighth fight of the season.

9. The Isles are 0-2-2 at home this month, matching the longest streak without a win at the Coliseum under Nolan. The last time the Isles went winless at home in a full month was in March 2001 (0-6-0) -- Butch Goring was fired after the second home game of the month.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick. Eric has worked the Stanley Cup Finals four times, and celebrated his 26th anniversary as the statistician on Islander home telecasts on January 21, 2008.