In the Shawdows: A New York Islanders Franchise

[MooseMan2216]

Hi all! Im back! I have finally got the hang of it and have decided to start a New York Islanders Franchise! Its gonna be pretty similar to my old one so here goes nothing :D


P.S.
I might have acsess to a digital camera to take ingame screen shots and if i could find somewhere to host them i can use those for my posts, but im not promising anything here

[MooseMan2216]

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Being overshadowed by the more popular and older New York Rangers isn't fun for the New York Islanders

When Long Island was awarded an NHL franchise to begin play in 1972, they were instantly resented by the long-established New York Rangers. In addition to paying a hefty expansion fee, they also had to pay the Rangers for encroaching on "their" territory. The Rangers have been the Islanders' biggest rivals ever since.

In the first season for professional hockey on Long Island, the expansion Islanders were one of the worst teams in NHL history - winning only 12 games and tying 6, while losing 60.

The following season, the team hired Al Arbour as head coach, and it wasn't long before the franchise turned around. After one more season without making the playoffs, the Islanders became one of the league's most successful franchises over the next 14 seasons.

After making the playoffs for the first time in 1975, the Islanders, led by defenseman Denis Potvin and forwards Clark Gillies, Billy Harris and Bob Nystrom, stunned the rival New York Rangers in a Best-of-3 first-round series. The Islanders won the series in the third game as Jean-Paul Parise scored just 12 seconds into the extra session. In a further harbinger of things to come for the franchise, the next round, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, turned out to be an even bigger surprise. Down three games to none in the Best-of-7 series, the Islanders rallied to win the next four - only the second time that has happened in any of the major North American professional sports. It almost happened a second time, in the semi-finals against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Islanders rallied from another 3-0 deficit to tie it at three games apiece, but the Flyers took the deciding seventh game and went on to win the Stanley Cup.

The following two seasons, the Islanders went just as far (though not in as miraculous a fashion), losing both times in the semi-finals to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. In 1978, they were upset in the second round in overtime of game 7 by the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1978-1979, Bryan Trottier led the league in point scoring, and second-year man Mike Bossy scored 69 goals, which also led the league. Despite the offensive power, they lost the semi-finals to the hated New York Rangers that year. Suddenly, there were whispers that the Islanders would always be the brides-maid, never the bride.

In 1980, the Islanders finally broke through and won the Stanley Cup. Trottier and Bossy once again provided a 1-2 punch on offense, but it was Bob Nystrom that proved to be the hero, scoring in overtime in the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Finals to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers.

Bossy scored 50 goals in 50 games in 1981, as the Islanders were the top team of the regular season and won their second Stanley Cup, knocking off the Minnesota North Stars in five games. The Islanders dominated the 1981-1982 season as well, at one point winning a then-record 14 straight games. They won both the regular-season title and the Stanley Cup, this time over the Vancouver Canucks in a four-game sweep. The following season, the Islanders swept the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers to win their fourth straight Stanley Cup -- and last -- also in a sweep.

The Islanders almost made it five straight, winning a record 19 consecutive playoff matches along the way, but they lost in five games to the Oilers in the 1984 finals. Only once since have the Islanders made it out of the second round of the playoffs.

By the late 1980s, Bossy and Potvin -- along with Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour -- retired, and an aging Trottier was plagued by injuries. In 1989, the Islanders missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

The Islanders re-stocked in the early 1990s, adding players like Pierre Turgeon, Derek King, Ray Ferraro, Steve Thomas and Benoit Hogue. With Arbour temporarily coming out of retirement, the team hit paydirt in 1993, climbing out of the cellar and making it to the Wales Conference final, (despite losing Turgeon for much of the playoffs after a vicious hit by Washington Capitals enforcer Dale Hunter in the first round.) They defeated heavy favorites and defending Stanley Cup champions, the Mario Lemieux-led Pittsburgh Penguins, in overtime of the deciding seventh game, before bowing out to the eventual champion Canadiens

Their glory was short-lived. By 1996, Turgeon ended up in Montreal, Hogue in Toronto, Ferraro with the cross-town Rangers, and King's performance dropped off. The Islanders missed the playoffs each year between 1995 and 2001. All the while, the Islanders suffered through often embarassing ownership problems, with the team changing hands three times.

With the ownership situation stabilized, fortunes began to improve. In time for the 2001-2002 season, the Islanders acquired Alexei Yashin from the Ottawa Senators, goalie Chris Osgood from the Detroit Red Wings and Michael Peca from the Buffalo Sabres. The Islanders made the 2002 playoffs before bowing out to a physical Maple Leafs team in the first round. They also lost a first-round series the next two years.

taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Islanders

[MooseMan2216]

Luongo an Islander,DiPietro a Panther

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Luongo making a great save

In a surprise move the day before the season started, MooseMan (Coach-GM) sent goalie Rick DiPietro and a 9th round pick to Flordia for goalie Robert Luongo. With only a year difference between them, it was purely a goalie style prefrence. " I wanted to change from an acrobatic goalie in Rick to more of a positional and fundamental gaolie in Robbie" said MooseMan afterwards.

[MooseMan2216]

Caps Blank Islanders

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POTG Jeff Halpern celebrating his goal

In the season openter the Washington Capitals defeated the New York Islandesr 1-0. The NYI debut of Goalie Rovert Luongo was good. He allowed only 1 goal on 27 shots. It was a pretty goal that beat him. B. Willsie was behind the net when he noticed a streaking Jeff Halpern. He served up a pretty pass and Jeff knocked it home.

POTG
Jeff Halpern
1 Goal

[MooseMan2216]

New York's Comeback Falls Short

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Biron getting ready for the shot

The NYI failed to complete the 3-0 comeback losing 3-2. It was 3-0 lat i nthe 2nd period when Mark Parrish netted one under Marty Biron's glove hand. Then lat in the 3rd Cliff Ronning stuffed one between Biron and the post so when Marty tried to poke check it away the puck bounced right in. But all was lost when the Isles had no time to set up a play in the last minute.

POTG
Marty Biron only 2 goals allowed on many shots

[MooseMan2216]

New York, Atlanta Knot at 3

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Luongo keeps it tied at 3
In the first period, New York faced a familiar foe, being down being down 2-0., then with 25 seconds left Peca got his first goal on the year to make it 2-1. In the 2nd T.Hunter capatalized on a power play oppurtunity tying it at 2. Then a hear breaker was netted by M. Savard to make it 3-2 in the 3rd. But NY got a powerplay in the closing moments. With 25 seconds left coach/GM MooseMan pulled the goalie and that payed off. big time. Begin up 6-4 on men, the extra attacker D. Scatchard passed the biscut to T. Hunter who then put it home for his 2nd goal of the night. In the extra period each team exchanged shots with nothing doing.

POTG
D. Scatchard
2 Goals

Assits M. Parrish, R. Luongo, D. Scatchard, A. Yashin

Goals M.Peca, T. Hunter

[MooseMan2216]

Former Isle Stops New York

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Rick DiPietro waiting for the impending shot

Former NYI goalie Rick DiPietro stopped 28 of 29 shots to pull out a win 3-1. " We are just in a slump, just playing messy hockey." said coach-GM MooseMan. The lone NY goal was a pretty outlet pass from Czerkawski to a wide open, speeding Cliff Ronning. Cliff then unexpectedly took a shot from the blueline which stunned DiPietro and went under his glove hand.

Assits
R. Luongo
M. Czerkawski

Goals
Cliff Ronning

Player of the Game
Goalie Rick DiPietro
28/29 shots saved

[MooseMan2216]

Leafs leave Islanders in the Dust

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Eddie The Eagle getting back to his net

With the 2-1 lead, the New York Islanders had the puck in the Leaves zone. An Isle fired the shot that made Ed Belfour sprawl with his pads stacked. The rebound went to a forward behind the net who then slid it to Parrish who, with a wide open net, hit the crossbar. Ed Belfour stopped the rest of the shots to thwart the Islanders 4-2. (the fourth on an empty net)

Player of the Game
G. Roberts
1 Goal 1 Assist

Goals
Michael Peca
D. Scatchard