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Islanders News: Power play keys perfect opening weekend

There were 30 teams in action last night, but feels like only one really mattered.

For those of you about to rock...
For those of you about to rock...
Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

A season's early days can be fun for their unsustainable oddities: The 82-0 pace, Brock Nelson's 300-point pace, Johnny Boychuk's "I'll break my career high by Halloween" pace, the power play's near-perfection and the penalty kill's terminal misery.

It's made more fun when everything goes your way, and by "everything" I mean "the winning thing" as well as the "Coliseum felt like playoffs thing."

It's good to be here, right now, where this modest 2-0 start against a likely doormat seems deserved and appropriate. So much can go wrong in hockey even when the best intentions are followed. With a long season ahead, it's nice to have the first two go right.

  • About last night: [LHH plus-minus/battle level | LHH recap | The Skinny | Point Blank | Garik's Neutral Zone data
  • The atmosphere understandably had people in a poetic mood. This may be Staple's most beautiful game recap yet. (And unquestionably his most beautiful second-game-of-the-season entry.) [Newsday]
  • Or as (Hi I'm) Chad Johnson said: "You really recognize how noisy it actually is in there, and how passionate the fans are."I don’t know any other rink that has this atmosphere. It’s almost a college atmosphere, with the energy and the chanting. It was fun to be a part of." [Post]
  • Speaking of poetry, Michael Leboff with some touching reflections on the Coliseum, including the influence of his father. [Medium]
  • The "vintage" aspects of the Coliseum keeps the memories fresh for Mike Bossy. [Newsday]
  • Feels vintage cool for the current players too. [Newsday]
  • Prospects: Michael Dal Colle off to a good start back in the OHL. [Islanders Insight]
  • The "ultimate Islanders timeline" [Newsday]
Bridgeport
  • Kael Mouillierat scored twice and Aaron Ness was injured as Bridgeport lost their opener at home, 3-2 to St. John's. [Video | Soundin' Off | Post]
  • The Sound Tigers site interviews Kevin Poulin and Anders Lee post-game. [YouTube]
  • A profile of Bridgeport's young, talented defense. [Post]
Beyond the Fort
  • Last night's NHL scores: The Caps destroyed the Bruins, the Pens destroyed the Leafs, the Blues destroyed the Flames, the Devils destroyed the Panthers, Vancouver and Edmonton destroyed each other...plus about 10 other games.
  • Thank goodness, Chris Pronger has found part-time work. [LHH Zeitgeist]
  • It's okay though! Because it's not about PR for Pronger. [Yahoo]
  • This McNally hack on Trevor Gillies will not waste ten minutes of your life. [Hockey Hack]
  • A Calgary reporter weighs in on Gillies: "Absolutely disgraceful." [Flames from 80 Feet]

Speaking of the Gillies incident, he apologized thusly: