The 1973-74 Islanders didn't have overtime, let alone a shootout. With the help from the extra, extra session the Islanders avoided tying the '73-'74 squad's club record of seven straight (0-3-4) to open a season without a victory as they defeated Carolina 4-3 in a shootout. On to the trick...
1. Finally, a win. The Isles (1-3-3) leave Toronto as the only winless team in the NHL, scoring on all three shootout attempts (Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen and John Tavares). Carolina scored once, so Nielsen is credited with the deciding goal. It's the second time in Islander history that their first win of the season came in a shootout. The Ted Nolan-led Isles did so in Anaheim in 2006. The win ended a 4-game losing streak in shootouts for the Isles; it was their first shootout win since February 16, 2009 against Pittsburgh.
2. The Islanders started strongly again, grabbing a 1-0 first period lead on a Matt Moulson goal. It was Moulson's team-leading fifth goal of the season, matching his career high-- set in 22 games with Los Angeles in 2007-08. Moulson has now scored in each of the last four games.
3. It's the Islanders first win since April 4, 2009 - a span of exactly 200 days. The Isles lost 10 straight regular season games (0-6-4) in the interim. Only 9,122 were in attendance -- the second smallest crowd of the season in the NHL (6,899 in Phoenix last week) and the smallest Coliseum crowd since only 8,161 saw Dallas defeat the Isles in overtime on Thanksgiving Eve, 2007.
...and a few more...
4. After Matt Cullen scored to tie the game, Tim Jackman (9th career goal, coming in his 145th NHL game) and Andy Sutton scored 49 seconds apart to give the Isles a 3-1 lead heading to the third. Sutton finished with one goal, one assist, four blocked shots and five hits.
5. The Canes forced extra time by scoring twice within 62 seconds. Eric Staal (off a gorgeous set-up by Ray Whitney, who played in his 1,000th NHL game) and Jussi Jokinen had the goals. The Isles have been outscored 12-4 in the third period this season.
6. Dwayne Roloson made 35 saves to pick-up his first win as an Islander. Carolina outshot the Isles 38-29, including 30-16 after the first period. Cam Ward suffered his 13th loss in eighteen career shootouts for Carolina.
7. It's the Isles' first win at home against Carolina since November 22, 2006 (0-3-1).
8. The Isles were credited with scoring four goals for the first time since a 5-4 loss in Carolina last March 20th.
9. Seven Islanders had points during the game, including two for Sutton. Three other Islanders had the shootout goals. Kyle Okposo, pulled off the Tavares/Moulson line was held without a point for the first time this season; Tavares did not have a point for the second time in his career.
10. The Isles won 44 of 64 face-offs. Tavares, Bailey, Thompson and Nielsen all won at least 63% of their draws with Thompson (9-2, 82%) and Nielsen (8-1, 89%) leading the way.
Up next: the Isles make their first of two visits in five days to the Bell Centre to face the Canadiens on Thursday. The Islanders swept the two games in Montreal last season, winning once in overtime and once in a shootout. The Isles will be looking to do something that they have never done before -- win three straight games in Montreal.
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