#19

This Date in New York Islanders History -- 1984: The Islanders complete their record-setting 19th consecutive playoff series triumph with a 4-1 victory against the Montreal Canadiens, winning the Wales Conference Finals, four games to two.

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April 24, 2002 -- Shawn Bates

Today, seven years ago, the Islanders were enthralled in the playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

And Shawn Bates scores on a penalty shot against Curtis Joseph in a Game 4 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Nassau Coliseum. He became the second American-born player, and 13th overall, to score on a penalty shot in the playoffs and the first Islander to do so. The Islanders’ win evens the series at 2-2.

If Bates didn't score on that penalty shot, would that series still have as much meaning or be remembered so fondly?



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Aucoin Recalls '02 Playoffs

In Ian Busby's story in the Calgary Sun, Adrian Aucoin recalled the 2002 playoff series between the Islanders and Maple Leafs.

There have not been too many playoff series like that one recently, in terms of physicality, scoring and the teams down right hating each other. And you still can't meet an Islanders fan who doesn't cringe when they hear the name Darcy Tucker.

And by the way, Aucoin was just as important to the revival of the Islanders back then as Michael Peca and Alexei Yashin and sometimes that is forgotten.

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Osgood in the HoF?

Is Chris Osgood a Hall of Famer? You might not think so on first thought, but his career numbers give a good argument. The last goaltender to be inducted into the Hall of Fame was Patrick Roy. He and Marty Brodeur are the two best goalies to have ever played, so it’s pointless to compare Ozzie’s numbers with him. The previous netminder prior to Roy was Grant Fuhr.

Currently, Osgood has 363 regular season victories, a career 2.43 GAA and a .907 save percentage. He now has three Stanley Cups, 59 career playoff wins and a 2.11 GAA in the playoffs with a .914 save percentage. He’s been an All-Star and has won the Jennings Trophy for the lowest GAA in a season.

The basis for comparison is Fuhr, who has 403 career regular season wins and a 3.38 GAA. He picked up another 92 playoff wins and a 2.93 GAA to go along with five Stanley Cups. Throw in a Vezina and a Jennings Trophy and Grant Fuhr definitely had a Hall of Fame career.

So, Ozzie hasn’t matched those numbers yet. But this isn’t the end of his career either. Last January, he signed a three-year contract extension with the Red Wings. Barring injury, that will get him easily past 400 career wins and possibly close to 450 if he averages 29 wins per season over the next three years. And with most of Detroit’s best players still in the prime of their careers and no major salary cap concerns for the near future, there is zero reason to believe Ozzie’s regular season and postseason victory totals won’t continue to increase. So, when it’s all said and done, Chris Osgood might finish his career with 450 regular season wins, another 75 in the postseason, a career GAA of 2.50 and at least three Stanley Cups.

To me, that says Hockey Hall of Fame.

What do you think?

How does a PR guy pick a team to root for in the playoffs

The truth is, when you get so emotional invested in your team, when you’re around them for over seven months it’s hard to start rooting for another team in the playoffs. That is, unless they’re playing the Rangers. Then it’s really easy.

During the season, some people see the opponent as the enemy. But when the Islanders visit Pittsburgh or Detroit visits the Islanders, the staffs of both teams get to know each other on a business and personal. And then they become simply the opponent. You want to beat them and you get pissed off if you lose. But a working relationship or friendship develops.

So often times when I find myself watching playoff hockey and I find myself wanting to root for one team over the other I decide this way: Which PR staff do I like better? Yeah, I know that sounds dumb.

Most teams have great people working in their media departments. I was asked the other day who I thought had the best PR staff in the NHL. The answer was easy for me: Minnesota. Billy Robertson has assembled a staff that works hard for their team and treats visitors as one of their own. Granted, some teams are just filled with jerks. But the vast majority of the PR staffs around the league get along great.

So sometimes it’s tough. Do I root for Tom McMillan and his Penguins or Zach Hill and his Flyers? Or Jason Rademan and the Stars or Tom Holy and the Sharks?

Unfortunately I don’t know John Hahn from the Red Wings that well. But Tom McMillan is as solid as they come in the NHL PR world. So...

Go Pens Go.

FOLLOW-UP: That’s Why!

I know this is a hockey blog, but that Rockies-Padres game was unreal. It was a one-game playoff, win and you’re in and both teams left everything on the field. It was just awesome to watch. Great TV and a great sports moment.

THAT’S one change hockey needs to make. Forget about bigger nets!

OPINION: Tiebreakers in Hockey

Ok, it’s October 1st and this about playoffs.

I’m watching the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies in a one-game playoff tiebreaker game. The teams finished with the same record and there aren’t any tie-breakers in baseball aside form a one-game playoff (or play-in game, if you will).

For whatever reason in baseball, head-to-head records are thrown out the window. If head-to-head records mattered, Colorado would have advanced. I think.

So my question to you is: Would this work in the NHL? Throw out the tiebreakers of wins, head-to-head records and how you faired in your divisions and conference. If two teams finish with the same amount of points for the last playoff spot, should the NHL go with a one-game playoff?

There are good reasons on both sides of the argument, so what do you think?

If you want to discuss, logon to IslanderMania to (politely) debate.