Islanders News: Power play keys perfect opening weekend

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:

Trevor Gillies has issued a public apology on Facebook for last night's antics. #AHL #NHL #AHLFlames #Sabres #Amerks pic.twitter.com/AEAVVjQWYs

— Chris Roy (@Chris_MHJ) October 11, 2014