It Happened at the Coliseum … on APRIL 3rd

8 years ago tonight (2007) – Miro Satan scored the deciding goal in the shootout as the Islanders remained alive in the playoff chase with a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers.

How intense was this game – well this is remembered as the game than Henrik Lundqvist had an altercation – with an Ice Girl, using his stick to whack the squeegee Kelli Higgins was using to push the snow into a pile during the first TV timeout, knocking the butt end of the squeegee stick into her stomach.

Arron Asham had given the Islanders a 1-0 lead, and Alexei Yashin doubled the advantage in the second period.  However, Brendan Shanahan scored shorthanded later in the middle frame and Michael Nylkander tied the game before the session was complete.  The Rangers had dominated play though two periods, outshooting the Isles 31-16 but the third period was all Isles, to the degree of a 16-5 shots edge.  However they couldn’t beat Lundqvist and after a scoreless overtime the game headed to the shootout.

Miroslav Satan scored to lead off the shootout and Wade Dubielewicz did the rest, stopping Nylander, Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr to cement the victory.

"I'm not going to lie - I'm very excited right now," Dubielewicz said. "At the same time, I know I have to bring myself right back down to Earth, because we have to do this all over again in 48 hours. Don't feel too good about yourself, because you can't afford to be relaxed in this situation. I'll enjoy this one for a couple of hours, and then I'll put it behind me and get ready for the next one."

The win left the Isles still 4 points out of a playoff spot, with just three games to play.   "It means we live another day," Nolan said.

The Isles would need to win, and get a lot of help, to make the playoffs, which they did five days later in the final regular season game played at the Izod Arena.  Funny, I don’t remember many tears when the Devils moved to Newark.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
	W-L-OT	Pts
*Buffalo	51-21-7	109
*New Jersey	48-24-8	104
Ottawa	47-24-9	103
Pittsburgh	45-24-11	101
*Atlanta	41-27-11	93
Tampa Bay	44-32-4	92
NY Rangers	41-29-10	92
Montreal	42-32-6	90
Toronto	39-30-11	89
Carolina	39-33-8	86
NY Islanders	37-30-12	86

Here’s a fan’s video of the final shot of the shootoout 

Complete highlights from NHL.com

Also on this date: (1976) - The Islanders scored twice in the first 1:32 and six times in the first period as they pounded the Rangers 10-2.  It was only the second time in franchise history that the Isles scored 10 goals in a game.

The scoring:

First Period

1 - NYI : Trottier 31 (Hart, Potvin D) (EV) 0:21; 2 - NYI : Westfall 25 (Henning) (SH) 1:32; 3 - NYI : Parise 22 (Drouin, Potvin D) (EV) 4:53; 4 - NYI : Harris 31 (Hart, Trottier) (EV) 7:19; 5 - NYI : Hart 6 (Nystrom, St. Laurent) (EV) 18:17; 6 - NYR : Hickey 14 (Middleton) (EV) 18:42; 7 - NYI : Harris 32 (EV) 19:32

Second Period

8 - NYI : Potvin J 17 (Macmillan, St. Laurent) (EV) 4:44

Third Period

9 - NYI : St. Laurent 9 (Potvin D) (EV) 4:49; 10 - NYR : Esposito 34 (Middleton) (PP) 8:30; 11 - NYI : Potvin D 31 (Trottier) (EV) 12:16; 12 - NYI : Gillies 34 (EV) 19:06

Also on this date: (1979) - Bryan Trottier matches his (then)-career high with his 46th goal as the Isles beat Atlanta 3-2. Here are the highlights from Newschannel 4's Tony Guida:




Also on this date (1982) - Trottier reaches 50 goals for the only time in his career as the Isles beat Philadelphia 6-3.  Check out the Channel 4 highlights with the original radio voice of the Isles: Al Albert (Marv and Steve's brother and Kenny's uncle)

All-time, the Isles have played eight April 3^rd games at the Coliseum and finish with a 5-2-1 record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.