The Skinny says "It's been a ridiculously long time since the Isles won in Nashville"

The Isles head into Nashville Thursday looking to do something that they haven't done there in nearly 13 years - win!  The Isles have lost six straight in Music City since an important win late in the 2001-02 season.

Here's what I wrote about that win -- check out these names:

From my archives:

Apr 12, 2002

The Islanders clinched at least a 7th place finish in the East and kept alive their hopes for a division title, defeating the Predators 5-2 in Nashville tonight.  It was the only meeting of the teams this season.

The Islanders never trailed in this one, leading 2-0, 3-1, and 4-2 before Michael Peca hit the open net for his 25th goal of the season to seal things.  It was the Isles' 11th empty-net goal of the season

Brad Isbister, Kip Miller, Oleg Kvasha and Mariusz Czerkawski had the other goals for the Isles, who played without Alexei Ysahin for the 2nd straight game.  It's Kvasha's 13th goal—a career high.  For Miller, it was his first goal in 9 games.

The Isles have to be happy to get offense from two struggling, yet streaky players in Isbister and Czerkawski.  Isbister scored for the first time in 11 games while Czerk added his second tally in 8.

Nine assists were earned on the five goals, including three by Dave Scatchard. It's the first thee-assist game of Scatchard's career, and the third time in his career he's managed three points.  Both of his prior three point games had come as a Canuck. Both Miller and Kvasha added assists to their goals on the evening. It's Kvasha's 10th multi-point game of the season.

He is the 7th Islander to reach double digits in multi-point games; they had only two players do so last season.

Van Impe, Bates, Cairns and Lindgren also added helpers.

Garth Snow improved his April record to 2-0, and won his 101st career game. Snow was credited with 23 saves.  Jan Lasak had 26 stops in his 2nd NHL game for Nashville.  With Snow winning tonight, it ensures that Chris Osgood will not break Billy Smith's club record for victories in a season.  Osgood needs wins in the final two games to tie Smith's club record of 32.

The Isles continue their penalty-killing of late, stopping all 4 Nashville chances and extending their recent success to 22 of 23.  The Isles failed on both of their powerplays.  They have now gone seven consecutive games without a powerplay goal after scoring a pp goal in eight straight games.

The win ensures that the Islanders will finish the season with exactly one losing streak of at least three games.

The loss moves the Isles 1 point ahead of New Jersey for 6th place in the East. The Isles climb three points behind the first place Flyers. All three teams have two games to play.

[I then detailed the playoff scenarios in excruciating detail -- let's skip that]

The Isles have clinched at least a 7th place finish.  They can clinch at least a 6th place finish by tomorrow if they win and New Jersey doesn't.

The Isles are now 8-3-1-1 since the trading deadline.  It's their best stretch since opening the season 11-1-1-1.  The Isles win their second straight road game and extend their road unbeaten streak to three.

The Isles now have 92 points, including 40 wins, both of which are records for the Milbury era. The 40 wins are the team's most since they also won 40 games in 1992-93.

The Isles have earned their highest single season total since relinquishing the Stanley Cup [they had 104 in 1983-84] and are within reach of the point totals of two of the four Stanley Cup teams. They have exceeded the total of the 1979-80 Isles, who finished with 91 points.  The Isles can still equal the 1982-83 team, which finished with 96 points, if they can win their last two games.

The Isles now have 92 points in 79 games, 47 in 40 at home and 45 in 40 on the road.  The Isles have won 20 road games for the first time since they also won 20 in 1992-93; they haven't won more than 20 since winning 22 in 1983-84.  Their 45 road points exceed the 92-93 squad and are their highest since reaching 47 points in 1983-84.>>

Since then the Isles have been to Nashville 6 times and have lost all six, outscored by a combined  score of 17-6.

13-Feb-03	@	Nashville	0	2	L
15-Nov-03	@	Nashville	3	4	L
10-Jan-06	@	Nashville	1	2	L
20-Dec-08	@	Nashville	0	1	L
13-Dec-10	@	Nashville	0	5	L
12-Oct-13	@	Nashville	2	3	L

 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick