Happy hockey season, gang. We're going FIGging again.

[NOTE: The home opener FIG thread is over here. Please check the directions first.]

Each season, for each game, we run a FanShot dedicated specifically for commenters to leave their FIG (First Islanders Goal) picks.It's a takeoff of the in-game bet with friends where everyone puts money down on the first Islanders goal scorer.

Mike (ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles) is the generous bastard who helps tally them up over the course of the season with standings to track who's the best FIG-picker of the bunch.

You don't have to participate every game; but it's easy to participate whenever you want. To make it easy on all of us to use and track, please follow the rules below. (IMPORTANT: To keep things clean, there is a new deadline for each game's picks. See below.)

Here's the scoring system, based on points:

1. You will not get any points from a given game unless you pick the correct first Islanders goal scorer (2 points)
2. If you pick the right assist(s), you get an additional point for each assist.
3. If your stated time is closest to the real goal time (and you have the right scorer), you get a Bettman Bonus Point. While there can be multiple point-getters on any given night, only one person will collect for selecting the (almost) right time.

That means if you nail everything -- goal scorer, both assists, and closest correct time, you get five points.

FIG Format: How to Enter Your Picks

Format: Nielsen (Okposo, Grabner) 21:40 ---->that means 1:40 of the 2nd period

That's [Goalscorer (assist 1, assist 2) TIME]

For accounting purposes, PLEASE USE THE CORRECT PLAYER NAME (i.e. no nicknames). If you don't use the last name and spell it correctly, we might miss it because we'll be doing a text search to find winners.

Also, to help keep the thread clean, please look for your player in the thread. If someone has already picked your player and you wish to also pick him, make your pick by replying to that person. That way all the Okposos stay together, all the Hamonics stay together, etc.

Finally, we have a new timestamp requirement this season. Because Mike will miss a lot of weekend games, he won't be able to track when the actual puck drop is. So get your pick in before the half hour of the game time. That means for any game starting between 7:00 and 7:30 PM EST, that you have to get your pick in before 7:00. Anything up to 6:59 and 59 seconds would be ok, but if your time stamp starts with a "7" then your pick won't count. The same would go for games starting between 7:30 and 8:00... you'd have to get your pick in before 7:30.

Sorry to put all these "rules" on everyone, but it really makes it easier both for users and for record-keepers. And if you see your fellow LHHer screwing it up, give them a hand or kindly point out the preferred method. They'll learn.