It Happened at the Coliseum … on JANUARY 26th

33 years ago tonight (1982)-  The Islanders set team records for the fastest four goals and fastest five goals in team history as they swamped the Pittsburgh Penguins 9-2.

Duane Sutter got the barrage started just 91 seconds into play. John Tonelli (2:30) and Bryan Trottier (2:46) scored 16 seconds apart to make it a 3-0 advantage.  Trottier’s 2^nd goal at 3:31 made it 4-0 and (Duane) Sutter scored again at 4:08 to make it a 5-0 game.

The five goals were scored in just 2:37 with the final four coming in a 1:38 span.

Bob Nystrom added the first of his two goals to complete a six goal first period for the Isles.  The six goals came on just 11 shots. 

The rest of the game was just window dressing, punctuated by a fight with 8:15 to play. Noted pugilists Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Stefan Persson were three of the Isles who received misconducts.

“I’ve been playing hockey since I was 2 years old, and I’ve never seen anything like that”, Pittsburgh goalie Michel Dion told Newsday’s Helene Elliott.  Dion was no slouch in goal that season, either.  He was named to the All-Star team the following day. 

It remains to this day the second-fastest five goals in NHL history; Pittsburgh scored 5 in 2:07 vs. St. Louis on November 22, 1972.The four goal outburst is just 18 seconds shy of a similar mark.

The win was the third in the Isles’ record 15-game streak.

The box score:

First Period

1 - NYI : Sutter D 11 (Gillies) (EV) 1:31 
2 - NYI : Tonelli 21 (Persson, Nystrom) (EV) 2:30 
3 - NYI : Trottier 24 (Bourne, Bossy) (EV) 2:46 
4 - NYI : Trottier 25 (Bossy) (EV) 3:31 
5 - NYI : Sutter D 12 (Gillies, Sutter B) (EV) 4:08 
6 - NYI : Nystrom 10 (Tonelli, Merrick) (EV) 14:54 
7 - PIT : Boutette 16 (Kehoe, Baxter) (PP) 19:32 
Penalties - NYI - Tonelli 7:22 ; NYI - Sutter B 12:59 ; NYI - Sutter B ( (maj)) 12:59 ; PIT - Lee 12:59 ; PIT - Lee ( (maj)) 12:59 ; NYI - Persson 18:46 ; 

Second Period

8 - NYI : Nystrom 11 (Merrick, Potvin) (EV) 8:22 
Penalties - NYI - Gillies 8:36 ; PIT - Boutette 10:00 ; NYI - Potvin 16:37 ; 

Third Period

9 - NYI : Gillies 21 (Persson, Potvin) (PP) 7:17 
10 - NYI : Mcewen 5 (Sutter B, Nystrom) (EV) 13:51 
11 - PIT : Bullard 17 (Carlyle, Boutette) (EV) 19:37 
Penalties - PIT - Schutt 7:06 ; NYI - Trottier 11:45 ; NYI - Bourne ( (maj)) 11:45 ; NYI - Bourne (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; NYI - Trottier (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; NYI - Persson (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; NYI - Potvin (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; NYI - Bossy (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; NYI - Bourne (Game Misconduct) 11:45 ; PIT - Malone 11:45 ; PIT - Lee ( (maj)) 11:45 ; PIT - Stackhouse (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; PIT - Schutt (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; PIT - Malone (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; PIT - Chorney (Misconduct (10 min)) 11:45 ; PIT - Stackhouse (Game Misconduct) 11:45 ; NYI - Sutter D ( (maj)) 19:50 ; PIT - Baxter ( (maj)) 19:50 ; 

Also on this date: (1993) - Benoit Hogue and Pierre Turgeon each scored twice as the Isles blasted New Jersey 8-2.  It was the second straight game in which the Isles scored at least eight goals.

All-time, the Isles have played fourteen January 26th games at the Coliseum and finish with a 8-6-0 record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.