Stat Tricks: Boston 7, Isles 2 ; Isles 4, Ottawa 2

Perhaps the Isles could get Great Adventure to sponsor them.  This season is looking like a terrific roller coaster ride... high, high highs, and low, low lows.  Just like you'll find in today's tricks:

Isles v Boston.

1.  The Isles allowed 7 goals for the first time since Columbus Day as they suffered their most one-side loss to the Bruins in 17 years.  THe Bruins scored five times in the third period.

2.  Peter Mannino made his NHL debut, mopping up for Joey Mac Donald.  His NHL numbers after allowing 3 goals in 13:02.  GAA of 13.85, save percentage of .625  He was returned to the Sound Tigers after the game and lost to Worcester on Saturday, allowing a goal to Claude Lemieux.  It was Lemieux' first AHL goal since the 1985-86 season.  (Mannino turned two during that season.)

3.  Team effort:  Seven Bruins had two points.

4.  The Isles scored a pp goal for the fourth straight game, but scoring only once on the pp ended a streak of three straight 2-pp goal games.

Isles vs. Ottawa

1.  Never say never.  The Isles beat the Senators for a third straight time, and for a third time in a season, for the first time ever.

2.  The Isles are 4-0-0 on the back-end of two in two days (also beating St. Louis, the Rangers and Buffalo) this season.  They've won the back-end of 6 straight, going back to last season.  (The Isles won their first six back-ends in 2006-07).

3.  Trent Hunter's empty-netter gives him 10 goals on the season to lead the team.  He scored only 12 last season and didn't score his 10th until March 4th.  Hunter has 3 goals in the last 4 games, and finishes November with 6 goals.  Hilbert and Hunter each had a goal and an assist.

4. Frederic Meyer IV recorded the first two-goal and first three-point game of his career.  Isles defenders combined for 2 goals and 4 assists.

5. Heatley, Spezza, Alfredsson combined for 5 points on Ottawa's two goals.

6.  According to the official stats, the Isles were credited with 24 blocked shots.  They began the night with the most in the NHL.  The Sens were credited with 38 hits, but only 4 in the final period -- the question is, "Did the Sens stop hitting?  or did the off-ice officials just stop counting"?

7.  Farewell to my font coordinator, Steve Daily, who's leaving MSG+ to join MLB-TV.

8.  The Isles finished November 8-6-1, despite losing 7 points (0-3-1) on games that they led going to the third period.  The Isles have put together 8 wins in consecutive November (8-5-1 last season); matching their most wins in November since 1987-88.  The Isles have strung together winning records in 4 consecutive November for the first time since 5 straight winning Novembers from 1983 to 1987.

9,  Josh Bailey went +1 in 17:41 of ice time.  It was his tenth game, triggering the first year of his entry contract.

10.  Up next: the Isles visit Washington on Wednesday.  After losing their first match-up last season, the Isles beat the Caps three straight times, including once in overtime and once in a shootout.  After going winless in 15 games in DC, the Isles are 5-1-1 in their last 7 trips to the nation's capital.

 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.