The Skinny on Cappy

Today marks the anniversary of Jack Capuano's first win behind the Islander bench, a 2-0 victory over New Jersey behind 29 saves from Rick DiPietro and goals from ... get this... Jesse Joensuu and Rob Schremp.

Here's the Isles roster from that Black Friday matinee:

New York Islanders

4 - Mark Eaton
8 - Bruno Gervais
14 - Trevor Gillies
15 - PA Parenteau
16 - Jon Sim
17 - Matt Martin
20 - James Wisniewski
24 - Radek Martinek
26 - Matt Moulson
28 - Zenon Konopka
30 - Dwayne Roloson
36 - Travis Hamonic
39 - Rick Dipietro
40 - Michael Grabner
42 - Dylan Reese
44 - Rob Schremp
51 - Frans Nielsen
57 - Blake Comeau
58 - Jesse Joensuu
91 - John Tavares

Of the 20 players who dressed that afternoon, only Martin, Hamonic, Grabner, Nielsen and Tavares are still Islanders.

Capuano will coach his 299th game tonight at the Coliseum, and will coach his 300th game in Washington.

He long ago passed every other coach in Islander history, except of course Al Arbour, in games coached and in wins:  

Most games coached (Islanders):

1.            Al Arbour 1,500
2.       Jack Capuano 298
3.       Mike Milbury 191
4.      Terry Simpson 187
5.       Scott Gordon 181

Most wins by Islander coaches:

1.             Al Arbour 740
2.       Jack Capuano 133
3.        Terry Simpson 81
4.       Peter Laviolette 77
5.      Ted Nolan 74

Among NHL coaches, Capuano is the 6th-longest tenured coach with his current team.

Of the nine New York head coaches/managers, only Tom Coughlin, Rex Ryan and Joe Girardi were appointed before Capuano, who assumed his role with the Islanders eight days before Terry Collins became the manager of the Mets.