Islanders to NHL: We're For Real

David M Singer
Oct 29, 2001

New Look Islanders Beginning to Silence Doubters

The NHL has been full of surprises so far in this young season. Rejuvenated franchises such as the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers along with a couple of original sixers like the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, all have winning records. The NHL is smiling on them. On Long Island, a franchise once the mightiest in all of hockey-land has been quite a joke for much of the 90s. This year, the Islanders have joined the rejuvenation crew and are on top of the Eastern Conference and the entire league 10 games into the season.

At first the Islanders won their first two games. Fans were happy. Management was pleased. These were road games. The Islanders finished last overall last season. To start off winning on the road must have been a soothing feeling to everyone. But these games were to Florida and Tampa Bay. No one was going to start considering them for the President's Trophy. Pittsburgh and New Jersey were next, and although they were both considered tougher opponents, both teams started off their seasons poorly. The outcome was nevertheless surprising: 4 and 0, and all on the road.

Next stop: home. The Isles finally got to play a game in their own building. The game would be local fans first look at the new-look Islanders. The players were met with thunderous applause and chanting that continued throughout the game. A win would not come easy with a Detroit team filled with future hall-of-famers. The game itself was great to watch. It seemed to be two elite teams going back and forth all day. One of those two teams just happened to be the New York Islanders. The 2000-2001 season last place-overall Islanders. Game recap: The Islanders took a 1-goal lead; the Red Wings tied it up. This happened 4 times until the Islanders once again took a lead with about 4 minutes left. The game appeared to be another win for the Isles until Detroit pulled goaltender Dominik Hasek and the Red Wings tied it up with 9.4 seconds left. 2:32 into overtime the Red Wings scored to win the game. The team would remember some questionable calls, or non-calls as they appeared, that they kept up with one of the best in the league, and that Nassau Coliseum for the first time in years was loud throughout an entire game without the Rangers being involved. In the end, they still walked away with a point.

The Islanders would go on to win both games of a home and home series with Carolina, one in overtime. Finally having two games in a row at home the Islanders took some time to honor and retire the number of all-time great center Bryan Trottier before taking on the San Jose Sharks. Although inspired, the Islanders could not seem to crack Sharks goalie Mikka Kiprusoff. Finally, in the third period, the Islanders beat him twice to take a lead. A lead that would last up until the 59th minute - again. With 5.1 seconds to play, Vincent Damphousse tied the game. Overtime would be scoreless and both teams would walk away with one point.

The scheduling crew at the NHL must have thought that New York and Carolina might as well get most of the series out of the way as the Islanders met with the Canes for the third time in 10 days. The Islanders gave a repeat result of their last contest with the former Whalers: a win - in overtime.

At this point the Islanders have earned a record of 7-0-1-1. Nothing to snicker at, nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the Islanders were atop the Eastern Conference looking down at their metro rivalries, the New York Rangers and Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Devils.

Yesterday, the Islanders had another Western Conference power stop by Uniondale. The Dallas Stars, considered one of the NHL's premier teams despite a 4-3-2-1 start. Another large crowd, something unheard of in past years, met the Islanders at the Coliseum. In fact, the Islanders total attendance in the first four games this season has surpassed last year's total from the first six games. The fans, just like the team, are back to join the NHL's top ranks. The game was a run and gun style that featured outstanding goaltending. The two goaltenders stopped a combined 84 of 89 shots. Another back and forth game which highlighted not only goaltending, but one of the Islanders off-season trade acquisitions, superstar Alexei Yashin, tying the game from behind the net in the second period. A scoreless third led to overtime. The Islanders fourth trip to overtime in their last six games. 3:25 in, defenseman Kenny Jonsson sent up a pass to new Islander captain Michael Peca who scored on a breakaway. The goal was quickly reviewed, and the fans celebrated with the Islanders - twice. About going into overtime again, Peca said, "We've said we'd like to win one in regulation and not stress everyone out -- including ourselves -- with overtime after overtime."

"I guess it says we're right in the thick of these games. That's what matters most."

Yes, it is. It is the proof everyone is looking for as they try and answer the question: fluke or for real?

So now it's 10 games in and the Islanders have 18 of a possible 20 points. They sit alone looking down on the Eastern Conference. They are tied for the league lead with Detroit and Calgary. They have one game in hand on Detroit, two on Calgary. They are the only team that has not lost in regulation. They are looking more like a team that has gelled quickly rather then a team playing on a lucky streak.

What is surprising is that the Islanders leading scorer the past two years - Mariusz Czerkawski has not been doing as well as expected, despite playing with Yashin, who many thought would only increase Czerkawski's numbers. Neither has Brad Isbister, who looked like he was about to have a breakout season last year until he was injured. Right now, there is little pressure. With the team doing so well, rookie coach Peter Laviolette can take his time trying to spark the scoring in two more of his players. After all, Mark Parrish is leading the league in goals and Shawn Bates has already doubled his point total from last season (and is among the top ten in plus-minus).

No one is expecting Bates to remain on the scoring leaders list, and no one is expecting Parrish to end the season with the 82 goals he's on pace for. There will be some losses along the way, but the true mark of the team will show in how they bounce back. Will Czerkawski and Isbister step up if Parrish or Yashin go on a cold streak? Will the Islanders remain confident if Chris Osgood lets in a few soft goals here and there? Only time will tell and the season has just started.

For now, the only negatives the Islanders will just dwell on are the 14.5 seconds they are from perfection.

At the beginning of the year, Laviolette surprised the media with a statement saying that the Islanders' goal was to win the Stanley Cup. His words must have not been far-fetched to his players, as they have been playing as though they have believed in him, and themselves, from the beginning.

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