Ok so we wrapped up our 20 game pre season schedule last week.  Here is a recap.

Early game between the Flyers and the Oilers.  A Flyer victory would lock the #1 seed.  Flyers top D-man Dan Barrett was a late scratch as he took warm up but then did not return with a mid body injury, or more around the mid body on the back side like he ate some bad burritos kind of injury.  There is talk that an unnamed Islander (Barbosa) prepared Dan’s burrito for him, hmmmmm.  Dan was seen escorted quickly out of the building with a towel wrapped around his mid section.  Oilers score twice and Flyers get 1 in the first period.  Oilers go ahead 3-1 at 10:31 of the 2nd.  Flyers score a minute later making it 3-2.  Oilers get 2 late goals to close out the 2nd with a 5-2 lead.  Flyers score in the first minute of the 3rd to get back into this one.  Oilers then turn the jets on and score 4 times to win this game 9-3 and head into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league.  Both teams went 0-1 on the PP.  Oilers goal scorers, Spence with 2, and singles from Chantaj, Chamberlain, Kelly, Maguire, Nelson, Freeman and Atchison.  Some all around balanced scoring from the Oil.  Flyers got goals from McCormick, Mihalic, and Manning.  Players of the Game went to both goalies McCallum and Rispoli.  Now Flyers hoping the Bruins will beat the Islanders for them to secure top seed.

Late game Bruins vs Islanders had some excitement with the earlier game results.  With the late trade of temp player Barbosa suiting up for his new team the Islanders it was going to be interesting to see how the raucous Bruin team and fans will receive the ex Bruin after he disclosed many locker room secrets to the public.  No goals in the opening frame as the Ide brothers also were facing each other off for sibling bragging rights.  Gordie had some choice words for Barbosa a few times in front of the net.  Not sure if it was thanks for the 1986 penthouse mags or come near me again and I will chop off your ankles.  Islanders get the only 2 goals in the 2nd period but note this game was as tight as grandma’s dentures.  2 early goals in the 3rd by the Islanders seemed to squash the Bruins spirits.  One more Islander goal and this tilt went into the books a 5-0 Islanders victory.  A shut out for older brother Bobby Ide.  Bruins went 0-2 on the PP and Islanders 0-1.  Islander goals, 2 from David Riddell and singles from Tygesen, Guerra and Connell.  When Moe scored new guy Barbosa went and got him the puck, nice!!!  Islander Bobby Ide gets the Player of the Game as well as Bruins Jay Cummings.

So with these results we now have our playoff schedule is set as the Islanders bounce back and win the top seed and get March break off and all the early games in the playoffs.  Congrats Islanders on winning the 20 game pre season!!!  Flyers the 2nd seed, Oilers the 3rd seed, Bruins the 4th seed and Montreal the 5th seed schlepps.

Also a few other Islander player accomplishments.  Forward Rob McKean wins the scoring race with a 60 point season.  That broke a single season record held from the 2000-2001 season of 58 points.  And not single penalty minute this season.  Rob wins his 2nd and back to back Art Ross trophies.  This is also his 3rd Rocket Richard trophy scoring the most goals in a season with 34.  Well done Mr. McKean.

The other Islander winning hardware goes to goalie Bobby Ide winning his 8th Vezina trophy with the best goals against average of 3.95 and 2 shut outs.  Bobby our oldest back stop trailed Flyers Scottie McCallum our youngest goalie all season.  With 2 games left the Islanders were looking to make up 9 goals to get Bobby the Vezina.  And they did it in style giving Bobby a shut out on the final night.  Flyers allow 17 goals against in the last 2 games and Islanders allow only 3, what a swing.  Well done Bobby!  And to think Bobby had his fallopian tubes tied, cataracts fixed and some other plumbing adjustments at the start of the season.

We will send out a playoff preview soon.  Now the real season begins and everybody is back to zero’s and we begin from scratch all over again.  Even the Habs are tied for 1st place today.  Opening night goes next Friday, and it will be our last time at our regular times.  9:15 the Flyers look to start the playoffs on a winning note against the Habs as they stumble into the playoffs on 2 losses.  The 10:30 game will feature our 3rd and 4th seeds the Oilers and the Bruins.  Our top seed Islanders get March break off.

See you all on the ice boys and good luck on the 2nd season!