Thursday December 27

The league kicked back into high gear on Thursday night as 10 competitions saw 20 teams scrapping for important midseason points. Former Islanders are helping whatever ways they can. Let us look at the FI happenings from around the NHL:

* Three different efforts scored helpers as the Florida Panthers beat the host Atlanta Thrashers 5-3. Panthers' captain Olli Jokinen assisted on the opening tally of the night. O-Jok continues to keep up a consistent pace. He now has 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) on 37 games. During his current 6 game point scoring streak, Jokinen has 7 points on 3 goals and 4 assists. Panthers' winger Richard Zednik assisted on the 2nd goal. Zed has 17 points (9 goals, 8 assists) on 33 games. Thrashers' defenseman Alexei Zhitnik snapped an improbably long 32 game point-less streak with an assist on the final Atlanta goal. The streak was career high for Zhitnik who has only 3 assists on 38 games this season. The assist was shorthanded, his first since January 30 during his brief stint with the Philadelphia Flyers. The drought was especially surprising considering Zhitnik had 38 points (7 goals, 31 assists) on 79 games last year between the Isles, Flyers and Thrashers.

* Capitals' forward Viktor Kozlov had an assist on the 2nd Washington goal as they dropped a 4-3 road decision in OT against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kozzer has 22 points (3 goals, 19 assists) on 38 games.

* Randy Robitaille burned his old team for an assist as the Ottawa Senators beat the visiting Islanders 5-2. The helper came on the final Ottawa goal of the night. Robby has 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) on 28 games. With the assist, Robitaille snapped a 3 game point-less streak.

* Mark Parrish scored the 2nd Minnesota goal as the Wild beat the host Phoenix Coyotes 3-2. The goal, his 8th of the season, came on the man advantage. Parrish has 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists) on 34 games. Parrish snapped a season high 15 game goal-less streak.

* Ducks' forward Todd Bertuzzi assisted on the first Anaheim goal as they beat the host Edmonton Oilers 2-1. Bert has 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) on 25 games. Bertuzzi has been especially productive as of late with 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) on the last 7 games.

* Roberto Luongo got a little help from his teammates as the Vancouver Canucks downed the visiting Calgary Flames 5-3. Luongo stopped 29 of 32 shots to improve to 17-11-3 on the season. He is 4-1-0 since returning from a rib injury. Canucks' FI Taylor Pyatt pulled off a multi-point effort with a 1st period assist and the insurance goal in the 3rd. T-Py received 3rd star of the game honors and now has 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) on 38 games. Adrian Aucoin provided some support for the Flames' drive notching 2 powerplay assists. Aucoin has 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) on 37 games including 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) with the man advantage. Over the last 7 games, Aucoin has 9 points on 2 goals and 7 assists.

Check back soon for weekend game updates here at Former Islander Watch.