Stat Trick: Flyers 2, Isles 1

When the Islanders are able to maintain the same intensity for 60 minutes, they may very well become a good team. They are not there just yet, as they once again could not hold a lead, and dropped a 2-1 decision to the Flyers..  On to the trick:

1. Trent Hunter scored to give the Isles the lead on a first period power play.  The goal extended his point streak to eight straight games; only Cory Perry of Anaheim has a longer current streak.  John Tavares and Mark Streit assisted on the goal; it was Tavares' first point in five games and gave him his 20th point -- tops among NHL rookies..  11 of Tavares' points have come on the power-play; he has a point on 11 of the Isles' 17 power-play goals this season.

2.  Mike Richards got the Flyers even on the power play late in the second period; Scott Hartnell added the winner with just 5:27 to play.
RIchards' goal came on the Flyers' only power play; it's the second time in the last three home games that the Isles have not had a successful penalty kill (Edmonton did not have a power play in the November 2nd game).

3.  Martin Biron made 26 saves but suffered his 9th loss in 11 decisions (2-7-2).  The Isles have scored two goals or less in all but two of his starts.

...a few more...

4. The Isles dominated territorily throughout the game and the face-off circle through two periods.  Overall, there were 33 face-offs in the Flyers zone and only 19 in the Isles' zone.  The Isles won 37 of 62 faceoffs; John Tavares had a strong game in the circle, winning 9 of 12.

5.  Brian Boucher made 28 saves for the Flyers, who have now won eleven straight over the Isles, including three in overtime/shootouts.  Six of those games were at the Coliseum, equalling the Isles' longest home winless streak against Philadelphia, set between 1973 and 1975.

6.   The Isles have lost three straight Thanksgiving Eve games.  The Isles have had the lead at some point in every game this month except their shutout loss in Buffalo, yet they are only 5-5-2 this month.

7.  The loss ends a 4-game home winning streak and a 6-game home point streak (5-0-1).  The Isles drop to 4-3-3 on the season at home; they have scored only three goals in their three regulation losses at home.  They have led at some point in nine of the ten games (all except the 2-1 loss on Columbus Day to Los Angeles).

8.  The Isles have won only half of the games that they have scored first (7-4-3); they have lost 11 of their 15 one-goal games (4-4-7).  The Isles are also now 5-3-3 when they lead after one period.  The Leafs are the only team that has won a smaller percentage of the games that they have led after one period and of games decided by a single goal.

9..  The Isles have now been outscored 28-15 in the third period, and have been outshot 282-204.  The -13 goal differential in the period equals Columbus for the worst in the NHL.  The Isles had only one shot in the third period, after having ony four in Toronto in the third period on Monday.  They have been outshot by a combined 34-5 over the two games.

10.  The Flyers lead the season series 1 game to 0.  This was the first of 6 meetings on the season and the first of three meetings between the teams in 33 days.

Up next:  The Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins visit Long Island on Friday afternoon at 2:00.  Pittsburgh leads the season series 1 game to 0 and 2 points to 1, having defeated the Isles in the Islanders' opener in a shootout.  The Isles are 7-3-3 in their last 13 home games against the Pens.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick