Good day to go back into a little history as we all escape cabin fever from so few Islander hockey games.
Just a quick note-Islanders will wear white Saturday and raise a banner for Al Arbour. If anyone recalls he wanted no fanfare for the game, just to coach so we shall see. Please let them wear the 1970-80's white jersey's for one game. I saw a picture of Butch Goring at the NHL team store in the current jersey and it did not look right.
Newsday: Mark Herrmann updated the Islanders blog and reported
at 3 p.m. the new NHL Network (channels 401 or 429 on Cablevision will show the Islanders-Oilers game from May 17, 1983.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Good news, bad news. The good news is it's on today for those who would like to watch it and are able to.
The bad news is once the free preview ended after a few days it's not worth the money to see them barely cover the Islanders. Only you know if your provider has this station.
Better news is the ITV service has a lot of great classic games and features. I still own Pride of the Islanders VHS from the 80's and was shocked to see it on ITV also because it was made in Terry Simpson's first year and that's twenty years old.
Oh yes, in those days they had had the basic version of Pride of the Island and the collectors edition with special clips from Al Arbour's vault. No, I got the basic one for those asking.
If you can access ITV for a lot of great old features I suggest you do.
Best News (not Neil Best) today's game was on FSN before the season opener in Buffalo and I was able to put it on DVD along with Vancouver, Minnesota cup winning games. Hope you did too because Msg has never shown them all in one day. I would not bet on it happening often.
Islander books I still have:
25Th anniversary book
Boss-The Mike Bossy story
The Dynamic Islanders-From Cellar to Stanley Cup
Do not have the Incredible Islanders or Denis Potvin's book. I have no interest in either Alan Hahn-Peter Botte book because of the poor editing and what many claimed was misinformation.
I recall some older fans were correcting Hahn's recollections in the 1980 book which he did not do with Mr Botte. I saw it last year for twenty four dollars at a Barnes and Nobel and reading it you could sense it was written by someone who was too young at that time. Also it was just not a very long book in terms of pages.
All this 1980 stuff had me thinking back to the channel nine days when we would see the road games.
Anyone old enough around here to remember the days of Tim Ryan calling Islander games? I cannot remember who did the color commentary but I can give you Tim Ryan calling a heck of a fight as an Islander announcer.
That series with the Kings in 1980 which was only a best of five. Anyone remember before Morrow scored in ot Bill Smith let up an early goal from center ice or the next game when Alex McKendry took Mike Bossy's spot and scored in the 6-0 series clincher.
Anyone want to take a guess who called that game on WOR-9.
It was not Jiggs McDonald.
It was not Tim Ryan.
It was not Stan Fischler.
It was not Jean Potvin, he did the radio side with Barry Landers for those who remember in the 80's. If I recall they did the Chemical Bank Feature album the Chemistry was just right on the 1980 Islanders.
Hints?
Family history in New York broadcasting, later called Mets games.
Family member was announcer of Islanders 1981 sweep of Rangers on radio from Ranger side.
Answer: Steve Albert