It Happened at the Coliseum … on FEBRUARY 26th

The Isles begin a five-game homestand tonight and they look to do something they haven't done in 32 years...win on February 26th.  In Isles history they have won only twice on this date, going 2-7-5 at the Coliseum and 0-4-0 on the road.

Here's It Happened at the Coliseum, as it was originally presented in 2015:  

28 years ago tonight (1987) -  In a game that featured four unassisted goals, including three by the Islanders, Alan Kerr scored the winning goal with 12:26 to play as the Isles beat Pittsburgh 5-4.

Dale Henry, Pat LaFontaine, Mike Bossy and Neal Coulter had the other goals for the Isles, who led 1-0, 3-1, 4-2  and 5-3 before hanging on for the victory.  Mario Lemieux, who was on his way to his first 50 goal campaign, recorded his 40^th goal of the season for Pittsburgh.

It was Kerr’s first goal in 19 games and he had a chance later in the period to score his second when he was awarded a penalty shot after Pittsburgh’s Randy Hillier dislodged the net moments before Kerr shot a puck into it.  Kerr told Newsday’s Jim Smith:  I'd never taken a penalty shot - ever, from minor hockey on up . . . I was a little nervous."

The win pushed the Isles back into second place in the Patrick Division, two points ahead of the Rangers and extended the Isles unbeaten streak over Pittsburgh to 13 games (12-0-1).

The Isles played nine February 26^th home games after this one, and didn’t win any of them (0-6-3).

Also on this date: (1977) – Clark Gillies and Lorne Henning each scored twice and added an assist as the Isles pounded Atlanta 8-2.  The Isles scored three goals in a 45 second span of the second period, establishing a club record (since broken).

All-time, the Isles have played fourteen February 26th games at the Coliseum and finish with a 2-7-5 record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.