It Happened at the Coliseum … on JANUARY 1st

21 years ago today (1994) – The Isles peppered Sean Burke with 54 shots, but Geoff Sanderson scored two goals, including the winner at 7:13 of the third period as Hartford defeated the Isles 4-3.

Four times the Whalers grabbed one-goal leads, and the Isles erased three of them but could not equalize Sanderson’s final tally.

The teams combined for four power play goals in the first period, matching the Islander club record.

Ron Hextall, who made the 19th of his franchise-record 20 consecutive starts noted to Newsday’s Jeff Williams, “Our penalty-killing has got to get better. We've given up some crucial goals. It's been atrocious.”

The 54 shots established a club record that was tied in 2004 and later bested in 2008.  Of the over 3,300 regular season games the Isles have played, they have had more shots in only two of them—a 2008 loss to Carolina and a 2013 shootout win in Ottawa.

Here's more coverage from Robin Finn of the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/02/sports/hockey-three-ties-aren-t-enough-for-isles.html

I don't have any video from this game, but since this is New Year's Day, I figured that I would share one of my favorite sports song as it was not only used by the Whalers, but it was also used by my alma mater, Union College:

:


You see, about 39 months after this game, Hartford lost their team.  And 100 days from today, the Nassau Coliseum will host its final regular season game. 

Also on this date: (1977)  In the only other New Year’s Day game in Coliseum history, Vancouver raced to a 5-0 lead enroute to a 5-1 win over the Isles.

All-time, the Isles have played two January 1st games at the Coliseum and finish with a 0-2-0 record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.