Home grown success

Sean Bergenheim's hat trick yesterday is a rarity, at least recently, for the Islanders. It's the first hat trick this century by an Islander player who was drafted by the Islanders. (Thanks to Matt Borzello for this gem)

Believe it or not, you need to go back to April 17, 1999 to find the last hat trick by an Islander-drafted player for the Islanders. That afternoon, Zigmund Palffy turned the trick in Pittsburgh.

How long ago was that?

It was the last game Palffy played as an Islander - he was traded that summer.
It was the final game of Ed Westfall's broadcasting career - he was replaced by Joe Micheletti.
It was the final game of Bill Stewart's coaching career - he was replaced by Butch Goring.
The Islanders have played 721 regualr season games since then

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982.