Stat Trick: Columbus 3, Isles 1

1.  The Isles have been outscored 30-11 over the last 6 games, all losses.  How bad is that?  The last time the Isles were outscored by 19 goals in a six-game period was in the 1995-96 season:

25-Mar-96 @ Montreal 1 4 L
26-Mar-96 Vs Washington  1 7 L
30-Mar-96 @ Hartford 1 3 L
31-Mar-96 Vs New York  1 4 L
2-Apr-96 Vs Philadelphia 2 6 L
5-Apr-96 @ Ottawa 2 4 L

when they were outscored by 20 goals in a 6-game period.  The Isles have also lost six straight on the road.

2.  Can't say the Isles didn't come out hitting- outhitting the BJ's 41-16.

3,  Richard Park had the Isles' only goal -it was the Isles 7th SH goal this season.  Only Philadelphia (11) has more.

...and a few more.

4.  Fredrik Modin is heating up for Columbus; he now has 4 goals in 6 games. Jason Chimera and Andrew Murray had the other Columbus goals.

5.  Joey  Mac Donald allowed 3 goals; fewest since the win over Ottawa whne he allowed 2.  It's the first time since November 11 that he allowed three goals or fewer and lost.

6.  The Isles remain winless in Columbus (4 losses, a tie and a shootout loss).  Counting a loss and a tie in Cleveland in 1978, the Isles are winless in eight trips to Ohio since a 6-3 win in Cleveland on March 27, 1977.  Really.

7.  The Isles now have 11 points in their first 16 road games, equalling their lowest total since the 1995-96 season.

8.  The Isles last lost six straight, all in regulation time, Jan 22-Feb 7, 2008.  They then lost in overtime on February 9th to extend the losing streak to 7.

9.  It's the first time since February, 2000 that the Isles have not won at least once in the first six games of a calendar month.  (The club record of consecutive non-wins to start a month is 11, in December 1972 (0-9-2))

10.Looking ahead:
Tuesday's game is on Versus as the Isles return home to face Washington.  The Capitals began this six game losing streak for the Isles by scoring three in the third to beat the Isles on December 4.  The Isles have won 6 of the last 7 Coliseum matchups between the teams (6-1-0), losing only last Columbus Day, 2-1.   Joe Beninati and Billy Jaffe should have the call.  (Beninati is the voice of the Caps when he's not working for Versus) 

 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.