1. The Isles have now lost 14 straight on the road (0-13-1) --longest since 1972-73, and 2nd longest streak in club history. Coincidentally, the 15 game losing streak for the original Isles followed a miracle win in Boston; the current streak followed the miracle win in Montreal.
2. It's the Isles' first loss in Calgary this century (11/23/99); they had played only twice in the interim--both Isles victories.
3. After Calgary had grabbed a 2-0 lead, Trevor Smith and Jeff Tambellini scored to tie the game in the 2nd period. It was the first NHL goal for Smith, and the 2nd of the season for Tambellini. One looking for positive would note that all 4 goals that the Isles scored in Alberta were scored by young players: Comeau and Okposo had the goals in Edmonton.
...and a few more
4. A red-hot Daymond Langkow led the Flames attack with a goal and 2 assists. Eric Nystrom played his first game against the Isles and had 4 shots on goal in 8:38 of ice-time.
5. Brendan Witt's awful road trip concluded with another -3 game. Radek Martinek returned after missing seventeen games (2-13-2) and was also minus 3. Witt was a ghastly -10 on the trip (the Isles allowed 17 non-pp goals on the trip) and is -25 on the season (only Rod Brind'Amour @ -26 is worse). Witt, btw, was +6 over his first two seasons with the Isles.
6. Tim Jackman on the other hand has been showing that there may be a role, at least short term, for him on this squad. He was +1 with an assist, 3 shots and 3 blocked shots.
7. Kyle Okposo wasn't named to the young stars game on Friday, but led all Isles forwards with 21:30 of ice-time on Thursday. Steven Stamkos was named to the game, and was a healthy scratch on Friday. Hmmm.
8. The Isles fall to 5-17-2 on the road. The 12 points in 24 games in the fewest since the 1995 lockout season, when they also had 12 in the 24 game schedule and finished with an identical record. They haven't had fewer points in the first 24 on the road since 1989-90, when they opened 4-18-2 on the road.
9. The Isles have only two wins in their last 18-- equaling a similar stretch in 1996.
10. Up next: after playing 12 of 16 on the road, you knew that the Isles had to be due for some home games -- and they are. They'll begin a 5-game homestand on Tuesday against the Rangers. The Broadway Blues lead the season series 2-games to-1 and have won three straight games on Long Island.
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.
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