2009-10 Season Kickoff Half-Week

With a tight start to the season cram-packed with games from Thursday October 1 to Saturday October 3 things were exciting for Former Islanders, some in new locales, some comfortable in familiar surroundings. Here is a quick look:

Pittsburgh Penguin wingers Ruslan Fedotenko and Bill Guerin are the FIs of the week after having a fabulous start each receiving 2 points in their first 2 games. Fedotenko had a goal and an assist in the Pens 4-3 SO win over the Isles on Saturday including netting the tying goal. Guerin split assists over the Pens' first 2 games to notch a point-per-contest. Staying with Pittsburgh may pay off big dividends for the two two-time Stanley Cup winners.

Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo bombed his first week surrendering 7 goals on 49 shots between those two contests notching and 0-2-0 record with a 3.53 goals against average and an abysmal .857 goals against average. If the Canucks are to succeed it will be on the heals of Bobby Lu and vice versa.

Speaking of goalies Detroit's 1A backstopper Chris Osgood had a less than spectacular start surrendering 4 goals on 23 shots in his first start. He has an 0-1-0, an .826 save percentage and a 4.06 goals against average. Do you hear that ticking sound? It is the impending end of Ozzie's illustrious career.

Speaking of Red Wing washups, winger Todd Bertuzzi notched an assist for 1 point in 2 Detroit games over the opening weekend. Inane fact: Bert now has 370 assists on 826 games.

And to return to the Northwest let us look at a pair of FI centers. Calgary's own Olli Jokinen looked clueless notching only 1 assist on 2 games. He is going to have to step it up if the Flames are going to succeed. Surprise, surprise coming from Mike Comrie. The Brick notched 1 helper in Edmonton's lone weekend game, not surprisingly against the Flames. The born-again Oiler is looking to overcome his absolute awfulness that nearly destroyed his career last season.

For a much more impressive debut than any other FI we can give a head nod to Los Angeles winger Ryan Smyth who notched 2 powerplay assists in his first game as a King. Smyth received the 3rd star honor despite the fact that the host Kings were crushed heartily. It looks like Anze Kopitar may have found a new best friend.

In the "a Norris Trophy does not make you special" category we have Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara who wowed with 1 assist in 2 games. Way to go Big Z... no sarcasm at all.

Now to a more memorable FI defenseman, John Erskine. The blueliner had 1 assist in 2 games equaling Chara's excellence.

Oh and let us not forget Roman Hamrlik who notched a shorthanded helper in Montreal's lone weekend game. The shortie assist was Hamr's first since January 7.

While we are still in the Northeast let us peak in on two high-flying FIs. Buffalo center Tim Connolly notched a powerplay goal in his first game of the season. Way to go TimCo! Also helping out with the man advantage was Toronto winger Jason Blake who had 1 powerplay helper in 2 games.

Check in next week as we recap the FI events from Monday October 5 to Sunday October 11 here at FIW!

Former Islander UFAs and Signings

With the free agency market having opened on July 1 things have been busy for Former Islanders. Here is a look at the action to date:

Edmonton signed defenseman/winger Jason Strudwick to a 1 year deal worth $700K after the 12 year veteran put up a career best 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) on 71 games last season. A fusion player who can play the blueline or a 4th line winger role has played in 559 games for the Isles, Canucks, Blackhawks, Rangers and Oilers. Over that span Strud has posted 13 goals and 34 assists for 47 points. Strudwick was original taken in the 3rd Round, 63rd overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Islanders.

Veteran defenseman Adrian Aucoin bailed on Calgary and is heading to the Phoenix Coyotes on a 1 year, $2.25 million deal. Aucoin had spent the last 2 seasons with the Flames after suffering back injuries as captain in Chicago. Aucoin has revived his career and last season posted a respectable 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) on 81 games. Originally taken in the 5th Round, 117th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Canucks, Aucoin has played for the 'Nucks, Lightning and Isles as well as the Blackhawks and Flames. Aucoin has played in 851 games scoring 108 goals and adding 228 assists for 336 points. He has posted back-to-back 10 goal seasons for only the second time in his career.

Winger Ruslan Fedotenko opted to take a pay cut if that meant staying with the championship Pittsburgh Penguins as the forward signed off on a 1 year deal worth $1.8 million, a nearly half a million dollar cut from last year's contract. Fedo played well in his first season in Pitt notching 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) on 65 injury-shortened games. He also notched 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in the team's 24 game playoff run. A 597 game veteran, Fedo has 139 goals and 139 assists for 278 points and can now boast of his 2 Stanley Cup rings. Fedotenko has played for the Flyers, Lightning, Isles and Pens.

The Colorado Avalanche have offloaded "Captain Canada" Ryan Smyth and his hearty $6.5 million dollars due next year and the $10 million due for the next 2 years after that in exchange for Los Angeles defensemen Tom Preissing, Kyle Quincey and a 5th Round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Smyth played well this past year leading the team with 59 points (26 goals, 33 assists) on 77 games but never really met up to the Avs' expectations as the team has failed to make the playoffs for 2 straight years. On the flipside the woeful and youthful Kings have been trying to bolster their team with a veteran presence. A 920 game veteran Smyth has 310 goals and 350 assists for 660 points on his career. Originally selected in the 1st Round, 6th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Smyth played his first 12 seasons in the league with the Edmontion Oilers before going to the Isles late in the 2006-07 season. Smyth bailed on the Isles lures to keep him and opted for a 5 year deal with Avalanche and now finds himself in exile from the Mile High City after a failed experiment. Smyth was one of the major catalysts as the Oil made it to Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Final - the closest taste of success for the vaunted winger.

A pair of notable FIs have decided to take their chances at arbitration. Young d-man Denis Grebeshkov has spurned Edmonton's lowball offers and has decided to leave the decision up to the league about how much he deserves. Greb is coming off a breakout year in which he compiled 39 points (7 goals, 32 assists) on 72 games. He now has 176 games under his belt with 10 goals and 53 assists for 63 points. A former 1st Round pick, Grebeshkov was taken 18th in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. Greb has played with the Kings, Isles and Oil. Slightly more seasoned is Chicago d-man Aaron Johnson who is looking for a pay raise. Johnson had a hot start last season with the Blackhawks before tailing off midway through and then being demoted. He notched 3 goals and added 5 assists for 8 points on 38 games. Johnson has played in 184 games scoring 10 goals and adding 26 assists for 36 points. Johnson was originally taken in the 3rd Round, 85th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He has suited up for the BJs, Isles and 'Hawks.

Check back soon as the players continue to fall into place for the 2009-2010 season.

Friday June 12: Game 7, Stanley Cup Final

With all the cards on the table, the most beautiful trophy in all of sports out of the case and the title of Champion up for grabs the Pittsburgh Penguins tangled with the host Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday night. The game was amazing, the outcome somewhat surprising as a hobbled Sidney Crosby and the Pens pulled off a 2-1 victory of the Wings to pull a complete 180 defeating the team that had downed them just a year prior in the Final. Let us put it simply: the Pittsburgh Penguins are the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions! Only one Former Islander played a major role in the game. Here is a look:

Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood gave a valiant effort stopping 16 of 18 shots but it was 2 of 3 shots off the stick of Pitt forward Max Talbot that stumped him as his team's offense failed to pull him even in the closing minutes of regulation. Ozzie played well throughout the 2009 playoffs sporting an impressive 15-8 record with a 2.00 goals against average and a save percentage right around .925 with 2 shutouts. However Ozzie lost 4 of his last 5 starts as the Pens overcame 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits. Our kudos go to Chris for playing with talent and overcoming a terrible regular season to become the most commanding backstopper of the playoffs.

Congratulations must really go, however, to the 4 FIs who will now sport Stanley Cup rings as members of the Penguins. First up is aging winger Bill Guerin who was traded right before the deadline by the Isles for a draft pick. Guerin wins his 2nd ring after being a member of the triumphant 1995 New Jersey Devils. Guerin had 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) on 24 games but was scoreless in his last 5. Alas, way to go Billy G! Also sealing up his second Stanley Cup victory is winger Ruslan Fedotenko who played for the Tampa Bay Lightning when they won in 2004. Fedo had 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) on 24 games including 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) against Detroit. Congrats Ruslan! Despite going point-less in his last 6 games, winger Miroslav Satan is now a Stanley Cup winner. Satan has 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points on 17 games. Way to earn it Miro! Finally, though he did not play in a single playoff game winger Eric Godard should receive his name on the Cup after putting in 71 games of service during the regular season. Congratulations Eric.

Well that wraps it up the 2008-09 season here at Former Islander Watch. Check back occasionally during the summer months as we will have some updates especially when we reach the opening of free agency on July 1. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday June 9

With the Stanley Cup repeat only 1 win away the Detroit Red Wings fell short on Tuesday opening the door for a Pittsburgh comeback as the Penguins downed the visiting Wings 2-1 to even the series at 3-3. Game 7 is Friday night and after that we will officially have a champion. The home team has won each of the first 6 games which would seem to swing the pendulum in Detroit's favor but Pittsburgh does have 3 active Former Islanders which undoubtedly gives them the upper hand. Ooh... Only time will tell. However, 2 FIs did try to help in Game 6. Here is a look:

Pitt winger Ruslan Fedotenko had the secondary assist on the game winning goal at the 5:35 mark of the 3rd Period. Fedo now has a balanced 7 goals and 7 assists for 14 points on 23 games. Tank has been inconsistent, however, in this final with only 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) on 6 games. Playing like a champ but taking the loss was Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood who looked stellar stopping 29 of 31 shots faced. Ozzie still deserves some serious Conn Smyth consideration and Game 6 was one of his best this postseason. Alas the loss drops him to 15-7 on the postseason while his goals against average remained steady at 2.00 and his save percentage raised slightly to .927. How do you like them apples?

Check back soon as Friday will officially end the 2008-09 season/2009 playoffs. What a glorious ride it has been here at FIW. Thanks for reading.

Tuesday June 2

As the NHL official enters the summer months the Stanley Cup has not yet been hoisted by a victor. The Pittsburgh Penguins, desperate clinging to dreams of hockey hardware, made a considerable dent in the armor of the mighty Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. The Pens downed the visiting Wings 4-2 to pull the series a little bit closer with Detroit now sporting a 2-1 lead. Play picks up on Thursday night - essentially a make-or-break game for the Pens. Yet again 2 Former Islanders helped out their teams. Here is a look:

Even though it was a gimme point, Pitt winger Ruslan Fedotenko received an assist on a timely goal. Fedo helped out on the empty net goal with 57 seconds remaining, a goal that insured a Penguins victory. Fedo now has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) on 20 games with 5 (3 goals, 2 assists) coming in the last 5 games overall. Receiving a relatively rare loss was Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood who stopped 17 of a measly 20 shots in a performance that made the powerful backstopper look merely pedestrian. Ozzie is still 14-5 on the playoffs with a 2.00 goals against average, a .927 save percentage and 2 shutouts. Osgood should still be in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Check back soon with FIW.

Stanley Cup Final Kickoff: Saturday May 30

The rematch of the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins kicked off on Saturday with a rare back-to-back set of finals games set for the weekend. The Wings grabbed the early series lead with a fairly commanding 3-1 win. The lead 1-0 looking to repeat last year's Stanley Cup success. A pair of Former Islanders helped out in the game. Here is a look:

Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood was masterful stopping 31 of 32 shots faced to seal the victory and grab the first star honor. Ozzie has won 3 or more for the third time in the playoffs and is now 13-4. Scoring the lone goal for the Pens with less than 90 seconds remaining in the opening period was winger Ruslan Fedotenko. With 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) over the last 3 games including a goal in each of those contests the winger now has 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points on 18 games.

Check back soon for more recaps at FIW.

Tuesday May 26

The Eastern Conference champion was crowned on Tuesday night as the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins deconstructed the host Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 to sweep their series 4-0. The 'Canes, who made it to the Eastern Conference Final with relative ease, never found their form during the series and were literally made to look silly by the Pens. Three, count em, three Former Islanders helped seal up the victory for the Penguins. Here is a look:

Winger Ruslan Fedotenko kicked off the scoring for the Pens at the 8:21 mark of the 1st Period after the 'Canes had grabbed a 1-0 lead only 96 seconds into play. Fedo has had goals in back-to-back games and now has 6 goals and 5 assists for 11 points on 17 games. Up next was once-exiled winger Miroslav Satan who received the assist on the fluky game-winning goal by Max Talbot at the 18:31 mark of the 1st. With 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) over the last 5 games Satan now has 6 points (1 goal, 5 assists) on 11 games overall. Last up for the cavalcade of FIs was 1st star Bill Guerin who scored the beautiful insurance goal midway through the 2nd frame. With a 3 game point streak in which he has 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) Billy G has had a high-flying playoffs with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) on 17 games. Of all Pittsburgh FIs Guerin has stood out as the most capable and his veteran experience and hockey sense has earned him a chance to win the Stanley Cup ring for the first time since he was with the New Jersey Devils (1995).

Check back soon for more updates as we continue to follow the Chicago/Detroit series.

Saturday May 23

The Pittsburgh Penguins made an emphatic statement crushing the host Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 in Game 3 to grab a commanding 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final pairing. A pair of Former Islanders helped the surging Pens to the commanding victory. Here is a look:

Winger Bill Guerin assisted on the team's 2nd goal and capped the scoring on the powerplay with only 68 seconds left to play. The 38 year old winger is literally having the best postseason of his career and now has 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) on 16 games. The 13 points is a single playoff best for the player who secured a Cup ring with the New Jersey Devils in 1995. Over the last 2 games he has 4 points on 1 goal and 3 assists. Scoring Pitt's 4th goal and adding an assist on the Billy G netter was winger Ruslan Fedotenko. The game was the 3rd multi-point night of the playoffs for Fedo who now has 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) on 16 games. The extra man helper snapped a 25 game playoff game streak without an powerplay point dating back to June 7, 2004 - the fated Game 7 when Tank, then with the Tampa Bay Lightning, defeated the Calgary Flames to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Check back soon with FIW for more updates and recaps.

Wednesday May 13

With the pivotal Game 7 in the Washington Capitals/Pittsburgh Penguins series on tap it was bound to be a hot night for hockey. The Pens jumped to a quick lead and never relinquished crushing the host Caps 6-2 to take the series 4 games to 3. Here is a look at the game:

When 3 FIs step up and make it to the boxscore it was bound to be a good game for the Penguins. Wingers Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan all got involved. Billy G scored the game winning goal only 28 seconds into the 2nd Period. Guerin has 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) on 13 games this postseason including 2 game winners. On his playoff career he has exactly a point-per-every-2-games with 59 (33 goals, 26 assists) on 118 games including 4 game winners, half of them in this playoff stretch alone. Second star Fedotenko assisted on the Pens' game changing 2nd goal late in the 1st Period. Fedo has 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) on 13 playoff games but has been a difference maker as of late with 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) over the last 5 games. Tank has reached 25 career playoff points on 17 goals and 8 assists in 66 games. Satan kicked in 2 assists on Pitt's 4th and 5th goals for a multi-point night. He has 4 assists over the last 4 games and now has 4 points on 7 postseason tilts. Satan has 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) on 63 postseason contests. The Pens win advances them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the 2nd straight season.

Check back with FIW soon for more updates and highlights.

Saturday May 9

It was another sweep on Saturday as Former Islanders stepped up in both games. Here is a look at the FI happenings:

There was another trio of FI scoring as the Washington-Pittsburgh series clunks along. Winger Ruslan Fedotenko scored only 51 seconds into the 3rd Period as the Penguins overcame a late Capitals for a 4-3 OT win. With the win the Pens take a strangehold 3-2 series lead. Fedo score for the 3rd straight game for the 3rd time in his playoff career and first since May 18-22, 2004 while with the future Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning. Fedo now has 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points on 11 games. Also aiding the Pens' cause was winger Miroslav Satan who assisted on the opening goal early in the 2nd Period. With 2 assists in the last 2 games Satan now has 2 points on 5 playoff games. Notching a helper on Washington's first goal was defenseman Tom Poti. Snapping a 5 game point-less streak since his big 4 point night against his former New York Rangers in the first round, Poti now has 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points on 12 games.

Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo stopped only 26 of 29 shots as the visiting Chicago Blackhawks doubled up on the Canucks for a 4-2 win and a massive 3-2 series lead. Lu lost for the 3rd time in his last 4 starts and is now 6-3 on the playoffs despite a goals against average a shade above 2.00.



Check back soon with FIW for more recaps.

Thursday May 7 and Friday 8

We continue to try and catch up here at Former Islander Watch and are now setting our sights to Thursday May 7 and Friday May 8. FIs helped out in the 2 Thursday night matchups but only 1 of the 2 Friday night pairings. Here is a brief look:

Thursday

Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo played well but the Canucks fell fate to a timely Chicago goal as the host Blackhawks edged the 'Nucks 2-1 in OT. The series is now even at 2 wins apiece. After winning 5 straight to start the postseason Lu has now dropped 2 of his last 3 games for a 6-2 record.




Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood played well stopping 25 of 28 shots as the Red Wings crushed the host Anaheim Ducks to even their series at 2-2. Ozzie is now 6-2 on the postseason snapping a 2 game losing streak that gave the Ducks a short-lived series lead.




Friday

A trio of FIs helped out the Penguins as Pittsburgh got past the visiting Washington Capitals 5-3 to even their series as 2-2. The highlight of the night, however, was the return to the boxscore of winger Miroslav Satan who was playing in only his 4th game this postseason after spending the last 17 games on the NHL regular season in the minors at the Pens' AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre Penguins. Satan last scored a point on March 1 snapping a 4 game point-less stretch. He also snapped a 3 game playoff point-less streak dating back to April 20, 2007 when the Isles played in the first round against the Buffalo Sabres. Satan received the primary assist on the game winning goal just over 4 minutes into the 3rd Period. Receiving the 2nd assist was fellow Isles teammate Bill Guerin who also added a goal earlier in the contest. Billy G has done well, not great, scoring 3 goals and adding 4 assists for 7 points on 10 games. The final FI in the group was Ruslan Fedotenko who scored a goal and added a helper on the insurance goal. Fedo has 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) over the last 2 games and now has 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points on 10 games.

Check in soon for more updates and highlights as the Conference Finals loom just over the hill.

Tuesday May 5 and Wednesday May 6

We are way behind on the times here at Former Islander Watch. We will try to catch up by doubling the days. Here is a look at Tuesday May 5 and Wednesday May 6. FIs were involved in both games on Tuesday and 1 of the 2 games on Wednesday. Here is a peek:

Tuesday

Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Canucks downed the host Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 to take a 2-1 series lead. Lu has been an impressive 6-1 in his first 7 games in the playoffs surrendering only 14 goals in that span.





Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood looked good but the offense failed him as the Red Wings fell 2-1 to the host Anaheim Ducks. With the victory the Ducks grabbed a 2-1 series lead. Ozzie stopped 21 of 23 shots faced but lost for the 2nd straight games as Anaheim is stunning the defending champions in a lackluster offensive performance all around. After winning 5 straight to start the playoffs Osgood is now 5-2 with only 13 goals finding their way past him.

Wednesday

Pittsburgh winger Ruslan Fedotenko scored his team's first goal as the Penguins pulled out a 3-2 OT win over the visiting Washington Capitals. The win cut the Caps' series lead to 2-1. Fedo now has 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in the first 9 games of the playoffs. A Stanley Cup ring wearer, Fedotenko can be an immense help to his teams. When Fedo has notched a point in this playoff the Pens have a 2-1 record.

Check back soon with FIW for more updates and recaps.

Saturday April 25

There were 3 games on Saturday as the first round series of the 2009 NHL playoffs chugged along. Former Islanders aided their teams in only 1 of those trio of games. Here is a quick look:

Pittsburgh winger Ruslan Fedotenko scored the first of 5 unanswered Penguins' goals as the Pens rallied from a 3-0 deficit early in the 2nd Period to stun the host Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 to wrap up the series with a 4-2 record. A ill-advised fight started by Flyers aggressor Daniel Carcillo was the catalyst that drove the Pens comeback. Fedo also added an assist and received the 2nd star honor. The Tank had 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points on 6 games. In his 59th playoff game Fedotenko notched his 19th and 20th postseason points. He has 14 goals and 6 assists over that span. Pens winger Bill Guerin received the primary assist on his team's 3rd goal. Billy G snapped a 3 game point-less streak and finished the series with 2 goals and 1 assists fr 3 points including 1 game winning tally.

Check with FIW soon for more updates, highlights and recaps.

Sunday April 19

There were 4 more games on tap as the 2009 NHL playoffs chugged along on Sunday. Former Islanders again helped out in half the competitions (2). Here is a summation:

Tough Philadelphia winger (aren't they all?) Arron Asham assisted on the first insurance goal as the Flyers crushed the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 to narrow the Pens' series lead to 2-1. Ash now has 1 assist on 3 playoff games this postseason. The helper was Asham's first postseason since April 13, 2008 while with the New Jersey Devils snapping a 4 playoff game point-less streak. Asham has 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) on his 26 playoff game career. Assisting on the Pens' first goal was winger Ruslan Fedotenko. The point was the first of the postseason for Fedo in 3 games and snapped a 12 playoff game goal-less streak dating back to June 7, 2004 when Tank netted both goals in the Stanley Cup winning Game 7 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo did it again stopping 24 of 26 shots as the Canucks edged the host St. Louis Blues 3-2 and put them on the edge of elimination as the 'Nucks now own a 3-0 series lead. Luongo, who was not as solid as his first 2 games, has won 3 straight games and is sporting some impressive numbers with a 1.00 goals against average, a .963 save percentage and 1 shutout.


Check back with FIW for more playoff updates and highlights.

Opening Night: Wednesday April 15

Tax Day in the U.S. decided to coincide with the start of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. We suffered a little glitch here at FIW so we will not have the Eastern Conference Former Islander list like there was for the Western Conference since it takes forever to write. So here is the fastest possible list of FIs:

#1 Boston: Zdeno Chara (D)
#2 Washington: Viktor Kozlov (F), Tom Poti (D), John Erskine (D)
#3 New Jersey: Kevin Weekes (G)
#4 Pittsburgh: Miroslav Satan(?) (RW), Bill Guerin (RW), Ruslan Fedotenko (LW), Eric Godard (RW)
#5 Philadelphia: Arron Asham (RW)
#6 Carolina: Nobody for this bunch of clowns!
#7 New York Rangers: Stephen Valiquette (G)
#8 Montreal: Roman Hamrlik (D), Mathieu Schneider (D)

Now onto the games. There were 4 contests on Wednesday night. FIs stepped up 2 of those contests. Here are the recaps:

Washington forward Viktor Kozlov scored the Capitals' 2nd goal as the hosts fell to the New York Rangers in a close 4-3 game. The Blueshirts took a 1-0 series lead with the victory. The tally snapped a post-season goal-less streak of 17 games. In his 18th career playoff game Kozlov finally found the net. Koz has, however, managed 6 assists in the playoffs.



Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo dominated stopping 25 of 26 shots, which was just enough, as the the Canucks edged the visiting St. Louis Blues 2-1 to take a 1-0 series lead. With the victory Lu snapped a 3 game postseason losing streak dating back to April 27, 2007 when the 'Nucks were in the 2nd round against the future Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.



Check back soon with FIW as we will continue to follow the playoffs.

Saturday April 11

The final Saturday of the 2008-09 NHL season was a frantic one with 26 teams battling in 13 (unlucky?) contests. Former Islanders aided in 6 of those games. Here is a quick look:

Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo had another stellar game stopping all 22 shots he faced as the Canucks pulled off another 1-0 victory, this time over the host Colorado Avalanche and in OT. Lu finishes the season with a 33-13-7 record with an awesome .920 save percentage, a tidy 2.34 goals against average and a single season high 9 shutouts. While Luongo was injured for a large chunk of the season the 54 games the goalie did play in were often excellent.

Buffalo center Tim Connolly had another multi-point night scoring a goal and adding a powerplay assist as the Sabres thumped the visiting Boston Bruins, the best team in the East, 6-1. TimCo finishes the season with 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in his last 2 games and 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) on 48 - a near point-per-game pace. The helper was a big one as it was career #200 for Connolly coming in his 486th career game. More impressively is that despite playing in only 48 games TimCo sent a new single season high in goals scored.

Florida defenseman Bryan McCabe scored a powerplay goal and added an assist as the Panthers dispensed with the visiting Washington Capitals 7-4. McCabe finishes the season with 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points on 69 games. For the 5th time on his career Big Mc has notched 15+ goals and his 8th extra man goal of the season pushes his career total to 67. Assisting on the 4th Washington goal was forward Viktor Kozlov. He wraps up the season with 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points on 67 games and would foreseeable enter next season only 2 goals shy of 200 on his career.

Pittsburgh winger Ruslan Fedotenko assisted on the opening goal as the Penguins felled the host Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Fedo ends the regular season on a 3 game point streak (1 goal, 3 assists) and finishes with 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) on 65 games. The 39 points leaves Fedotenko 5th on the team in points scored. Netting the lone Habs' goal was d-man Roman Hamrlik who snapped a 10 game goal-less streak but has had 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) over the last 5 contests. Hamr ends the season with 6 goals and 27 assists for 33 points on 81 games.

Minnesota blueliner Marc-Andre Bergeron scored his 3rd goal in the last 2 games as the Wild again thumped a competitor, this time the host Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. MAB ends the year with 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points on 72 games. Entering next season Bergeron is only 2 helpers shy of 200 assists on his career. The powerplay goal was the 7th of the season for MAB and the 36th of his career.


Calgary d-man Adrian Aucoin assisted on the first insurance goal as the Flames tore down the visiting Edmonton Oilers 4-1. Aucoin snapped an 8 game point-less streak and ends the regular season with 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) on 81 games only 1 point shy of his 35 point effort from the 2007-08 season, his first with the Flames.



Check in soon with FIW as we wrap up the regular season!

Thursday April 9

It was a ridiculously busy final Thursday to the 2008-09 NHL season as 22 teams faced off in 11 tilts. Former Islanders continue to help their teams out even if playoff mirages of the recent past have now disapated. FIs kicked in their efforts in 6 of those contests. Here is a quick look:

Boston captain and defenseman Zdeno Chara scored the game tying powerplay goal early in the 3rd Period and added and powerplay assist to help lead the Bruins to a 5-4 OT win over the visiting Montreal Canadiens. Chara now has 19 goals and 31 assists for 50 points on 80 games giving the giant blueliner his 2nd straight 50+ point campaign. His 19 goals (11 powerplay) both set new single season highs while his 17 extra man helpers equaled another high from the 2006-07 season, his first with the Bs. Scoring a powerplay goal for the Habs was d-man Mathieu Schneider. He has points in 7 straight games (2 goals, 5 assists) and now has 9 goals and 23 assists for 32 points on 66 games. In only 22 games with Montreal Schneids has notched 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists). He is now only 1 extra man score away from 100 on his career. Assisting on that goal was fellow blueliner Roman Hamrlik. With 4 assists over the last 4 contests Hamr now has 5 goals and 27 assists for 32 points on 81 games.

Buffalo center Tim Connolly notched 2 assists as the Sabres crushed the host Carolina Hurricanes 5-1. TimCo has 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) on 47 games reaching that mark for only the 3rd time on his career and first since the 2005-06 season. Connolly is now only 1 assist shy of 200 on his career. For the 13th time this season Connolly has recorded 2 or more points in a game.


Pittsburgh winger Bill Guerin scored an even strength goal against his most recent squad, the Isles, as the Penguins heartily trounced the visiting Blue & Orange 6-1. Billy G snapped a 3 game point-less streak and now has 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points on 77 games. Guerin has played well for the Pens recording 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) in 17 games. Pittsburgh is now the 7th team that Guerin has scored 5 or more goals with in a season. Assisting on the first Pens' goal was winger Ruslan Fedotenko. With 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) over the last 2 games Fedo now has 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points on 64 games.

Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood stopped 22 of 25 shots faced including 2 in OT but let 2 of 4 go in during the SO as the Nashville Predators edged the host Red Wings 4-3. Ozzie is now 26-8-8 on the season snapping a mini-2 game winning streak. The 8 OT losses sets a new single season high for Osgood who has been subpar, at best, this season yet has an impressive record due to the excellence of both the Wings' offense and their impressive blueline.

Dallas Stars' winger Mark Parrish scored a goal as they eked by the host Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in a SO. The netter snapped a 4 game point-less streak and an 11 game goal-less streak for the spotty forward. Parrish now has 8 goals and 5 assists for 13 points on 44 games.




Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo was unbeatable stopping all 20 shots he faced as the Canucks edged the visiting Los Angeles Kings 1-0. The victory was the 2nd straight for Lu who is now 32-13-7 on the season. The goose egg was his 8th of the season, a new single season high for the highly prized backstopper surpassing his 7 blankings from 2003-04 season while with the Florida Panthers.

Check back soon for more updates at FIW.

Tuesday April 7

So the final Tuesday of the 2008-09 NHL season was a wild one with 26 teams facing off in 13 high energy contests. For some teams these matchups could mean the difference between still being in the playoff hunt or even moving up or down in playoff positions. Here is a look at the Former Islander contributions which spanned 6 tilts:

Washington forward Viktor Kozlov scored a goal as the Capitals doubled up on the host Atlanta Thrashers for a 4-2 win. With his 3rd point (1 goal, 2 assists) in the last 3 games Kozlov has pushed his stats up. The netter snapped a 7 game goal-less streak. Kozzer now has 12 goals and 27 assists for 39 points on 64 games.



Toronto forward Jeff Hamilton scored the game winning goal midway through the opening period as the Maple Leafs thumped the host New Jersey Devils 4-1. Hammy snapped a 3 game point-less streak and a 7 game goal-less streak and now has 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) on 15 games. The game winner was the 1st of the season for Hamilton and the 6th of his career making it 3 straight seasons with at least one winner. Assisting on the first insurance goal was winger Jason Blake. Blakey now has 25 goals and 35 assists for 60 points on 74 games. For only the 2nd time on his career Blake has reached the 60+ point mark. He is only 2 points shy of career #400.

Boston defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara had a powerplay goal with only 9 seconds remaining in the 2nd Period but all was for naught as the Bruins fell to the host Ottawa Senators 3-2. The goal was a big one for Chara as it was his 18th of the season setting a new single season high for the offensively gifted blueliner. Chara now has 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points on 79 games. His 10th powerplay score of the season also equals a prior single season high from his 2005-06 campaign with the Sens.

Pittsburgh winger Ruslan Fedotenko scored a goal and added an assist on the game winner as the Penguins downed the host Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4. Fedo now has 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points on 63 games. For the 2nd straight season and 7th time on his career Fedotenko has recorded 15+ goals. For only the 4th time Fedo has reached the 35+ point mark. Over the last 5 games he has been particularly effective with 8 points on 3 goals and 5 assists.

Edmonton d-man Denis Grebeshkov assisted on the lone Oilers' goal as they were felled by the visiting Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Greb now has 7 goals and 30 assists for 37 points on 70 games. He has reached the 30 assist mark for the first time on a season and each point has pushed his single season highs up.




Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo had a fabulous game stopping 46 of 47 shots, a literal barrage, as the Canucks downed the visiting rival Calgary Flames 4-1. Luongo snapped a 3 game winless streak and is now 31-13-7 on the season with a 2.43 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. Assisting on the lone Flames' goal was center Olli Jokinen. O-Jok snapped a 4 game point-less streak and now has 29 goals and 27 assists for 56 points on 74 games. In 17 games with the Flames Jokinen has 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists) but has been wildly inconsistent recording points in only 6 of those contests.

Check back soon with FIW as we wind down the regular season and prepare for the playoff push.

Saturday April 4

The 2nd to last Saturday of the 2008-09 NHL season was an active one as teams continue to battle for and secure playoff spots. Former Islanders helped out in 6 of the 11 tilts of the night. Here is a recap of the FI efforts:

Ottawa defenseman Chris Campoli had the primary assist on his team's 2nd goal as the Senators edged the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in SO. Campy now has assists in 3 straight games meaning he has 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points on 71 games. Since joining the Sens via trade Campoli has 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points on 20 games.



Buffalo center Tim Connolly had the secondary assist on the too-little-too-late goal as the Sabres were felled by the visiting New Jersey Devils 3-2 putting a serious dent in their playoff hopes. TimCo now has 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points on 43 games, an impressive point-per-game pace for the oft-injured centerman. With less than a handful of games remaining in the season Connolly is only 3 assists from 200 on his career.


Montreal d-man Roman Hamrlik had 2 assists, including 1 powerplay, as the Canadiens thumped the host Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2. Hamr snapped a 6 game point-less streak and now has 5 goals and 25 assists for 30 points on 76 games. For the 8th time Hamrlik has managed 25 or more helpers and for the 9th time he has reached the 30+ point mark. Assisting on the opening goal, also a powerplay score, was d-man Mathieu Schneider. He has a point-per-game over the last 6 outings (1 goal, 5 assists) and now has 8 goals and 23 assists for 31 points on 65 games. In literally half the games (21) with the Habs as compared to Atlanta (44) Schneids has past his offensive support from the first half of the season. With the Canadiens Schneider has 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) while with the Thrashers he had 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists). Receiving an assist on the first Leafs' goal was winger Jason Blake. He now has 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists) on 73 games.

Pittsburgh winger Ruslan Fedotenko assisted on both his team's goals as the Penguins fell to the host Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in OT in a battle of 2 playoff contenders. Fedo now has 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) over the last 3 games. He has 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points on 60 games. For the 4th time in his career Fedotenko has reached 20 or more assists.



Columbus winger Raffi Torres had an assist on the game tying goal as the host Nashville Predators downed the Blue Jackets 5-4 in SO. Torres has a goal and an assist over the last 2 games. Torres now has 12 goals and 6 assists for 18 points on 46 games.





Edmonton d-man Denis Grebeshkov had an even strength goal as the Oilers downed the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-3. Greb now has 7 goals and 28 assists for his first 35 point season. The goal was a big one for the young defenseman as it was the 10th of his career. Taking the loss in net for the 'Nucks was goaltender Roberto Luongo. He stopped 20 of only 24 shots in 60 minutes of ice time. Luongo is now 29-12-7 on the season and is a subpar 0-1-1 over the last 2 starts.

Check back soon.