Coaching Controversy?
November 3rd, 2007 by Tom
Some wins are more than just wins. Miroslav Satan’s game winner with two and change left in regulation gave the Isles a big come from behind win over the Pens tonight and, just as importantly to the sell-out crowd, gave honorary Coach Al Arbour win number 740 in his illustrious career.
It was a night like about 739 others except the names were different. Tonelli, Bossy, Gillies, Trottier, Potvin, Langevin, Smith, Nystrom, and Bourne were all absent from the line-up. Instead, Coach Arbour, who guided the Isles to four straight championships and tonight became the only man in NHL history to coach 1,500 games with one team, had to rely on players who in many cases weren’t even born the last time he raised the Cup. Sure, Coach Ted Nolan was right by his side to help Arbour pronounce names like Ruslan Fedolenko, but we like to think Coach Al was the difference maker tonight. Even if it was just his impact on the fans, it was more than enough. You could feel it in the Coliseum air all night long. Seemingly everyone in attendance was willing the Isles to victory, not for their place in the standings but for Al. Just for Al. Call it a big thank you for the Four Cups, for helping make the Isles a legitimate franchise and for instilling pride in everyone of us who are lucky enough to be Islander fans.
Isles management did a great job with the night, having a legion of Arbour’s former players on hand as well as a family big enough to rival the Sutters. At a postgame ceremony, they took down the “Arbour 739″ banner and replaced it with an “Arbour 1500″ banner. Then the orange, blue, and white confetti rained down. Chills were in attendance as the crowd alternated chants of “Ar-Bour” and “Se-Ven For-ty”. I give the Isles lots of credit for bringing back Al and honoring him this way. Maybe next year we can convince them to get Bossy back out on the ice to try and score goal #574. That would be pretty cool.
It was a really special night and it had its share of laughs. When the Isles Alumni appeared and Mike Bossy was announced, the crowd immediately began its “Bos-sy” chant. Then came Trottier and Gillies, Westfall and LaFontaine, then Benoit Hogue and Eric Cairns! (never saw that coming), and the best was still to come, wait for it, wait for it, Steve Webb! And of course Webb got the second loudest chant for a player of the night. So, for the record, it went Bossy #1, Webb #2, Isles Hall of Famers Trots and Gillies and rest next. Steve Webb. They love that guy in Uniondale.
In the end, this night was really about the last two minutes and 13 seconds. Once Satan’s rebound went past Marc-Andre Fleury, it was a celebration. It was the final minute of Game Four against the Oilers in 1983. It was a victory for all Islander fans, for the players, for the franchise and for Coach Al Arbour. Some wins are more than just wins.
hockey1919 Says
Great job by the Islanders by making this a relevant tribute and not just a ploy to latch onto the glory days.Leave it to Mr. Brooks to run a negative article (Neil Smith) on the Islanders on the same day he is forced to write something postive. They worry about bloggers wearing home team colors aren’t going to be objective?
Nov 4th, 2007 at 10:32 am