795 days ago, John Tavares left the New York Islanders and a franchise basically for dead.
795 days later, the Islanders are under four minutes from the Eastern Conference Finals.
Unbelievable.
The playoff-bound New York Islanders:
-28 wins in regulation
-16 OT/shootout losses
-23 blown 3rd period leads
-The NHL’s worst penalty kill
-105 2nd period goals allowed
-A -17 goal differential
-2 separate 6-game losing streaks this seaaon
Just incredible.
#Isles
This angle of Beauvillier’s game-winner last night might be one of the best things you’ll ever see, especially with how loud the Coliseum erupted.
#Isles
Mike Bossy had five years of 60+ goals, four years of 50+ goals. The only year he scored less than 40, he had 38. That was his final season. If not for his back being shot, he would have been the greatest goal scorer in hockey history, if he’s not considered it already.
Legend.
One of the last great moments at the Nassau Coliseum last spring was Clark Gillies smashing a beer can into his head to fire up the crowd during Game 4 against Boston. What a moment. R.I.P. to Jethro
Mathew Barzal on
#Isles
fans: “The crowd on Long Island, it’s pandemonium in our rink when we score or when there’s a big hit. Our fans are the best. I get so fired up when the shift before me the line that’s out there throws a hit makes a play. I just want to blow the roof off.”
Andy Greene wanted to come to the Islanders.
J.G. Pageau is signing a long-term extension with the Islanders.
Zach Parise wanted to come to the Islanders.
No matter how you look at it, this is a game changer for this franchise.
Jack Hughes becomes the first hockey player of Jewish descent to go number one overall in the
#NHLDraft
.
He also becomes the first kid of Jewish descent to go first overall in any of the four major sports.
Henrik Lundqvist seems to be enjoying retirement. Here he is shredding the guitar to the Foo Fighters’ classic “Everlong”
🎥: (hlundqvistofficial/IG)
#NYR
The Islanders, barring anything unforeseen, now have Mathew Barzal locked up until age 34 and Bo Horvat until age 35.
There’s your two franchise cornerstones.
With Luke Hughes signing with the
@NJDevils
just now, the Hughes brothers have made sports history. They will become the first set of Jewish brothers to play on the same team in
@NHL
history.
#NJDevils
Wayne Gretzky was traded 31 years ago today.
The aftermath:
-2 NHL Franchises
-Three Stanley Cups
-Five Stanley Cup appearances by California based clubs
-The exponential growth of hockey in the state of California
Everyone remembers where they were that Saturday afternoon when the
#Isles
made the deal for Boychuk and Nick Leddy in a span on two hours. It was a decade-defining moment for the franchise. Johnny Boychuk helped revive the Islanders from the moment he arrived.
New Arena ✅
Sign Ilya Sorokin ✅
Get to the Eastern Conference Finals ✅
A franchise-altering summer it’s been for the New York Islanders.
And they’re not done yet.
Whatever happens tonight, this run by the
#Isles
has been fun, crazy, unexpected, enjoyable, encouraging, great for the fanbase, and most of all a much-needed distraction during a very difficult time in this world.
For this series and this series only
#Isles
fans I’ll be rooting for the
#nyr
to beat the breaks off the
@Canes
. You don’t have to agree with me but I’ll take class over ass any day.
@R_ai_NGERS
do your thing for New York
John Tavares now is 1-6 in his career in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
His lone series win and 2nd round appearance came in 2016 when he was captain of the New York Islanders.
Doc Emrick says the loudest ovation he’s ever heard was inside Nassau Coliseum after the game-winning goal that won the
#Isles
Game 3 of the opening round back in 2015.
#ThankYouDoc
Matt Martin: “We really believed we were going to win a Cup and give Nassau Coliseum one last dance. We kind of felt like the stars were aligning. For it to end so abruptly, you don’t see it coming.”
#Isles
Islanders. Rangers. Tonight.
Biggest game of the year for both teams.
Biggest game between the two in the regular season in over five years.
Last game between the two this year.
Nassau Coliseum.
Electric atmosphere.
Debut of J.G. Pageau.
What more could you ask for?