Islanders Anxiety - Episode 218 - Dog Should Have Known Better

In a supersized episode, Mike and Dan recap the Islanders’ games against Blackhawks, Blues and Red Wings, and Dan speaks with former WHA & NHL linesman Ron Asselstine about his career and memories of the dynasty Isles.

First, they look at big wins in Chicago and St. Louis that extended the team’s winning streak to five, as well as the disappointing shutout loss in Detroit that ended the run. They talk about players that stood out in each game, how the Islanders have kept pace in their division early in the season and how very few people have noticed because of other NHL goings on (as usual).

In the second half, Dan speaks with Ron Asselstine, who spent 25 years as a pro hockey linesman. Throughout those two-plus decades, he’s collected a million stories, many about the great Islanders teams of the early ‘80s. From Bossy’s 50-in-50 game to Clark Gillies rearranging Ed Hospodar’s face, Ron was on the ice for many signature moments for the franchise. He also discusses the wild days of the WHA, some funny on-ice conversations and the time he had to tackle a fan who had run onto the ice. It’s a great chat with a guy who’s seen just about everything.

REFERENCES

• Thanks again to Ron for coming on. You absolutely need to see the video of him tacking that fan at Boston Garden to truly appreciate the insanity of the moment:

• Also, the incident he talks about - in which he helped reverse a call that got the Islanders a major power play and a win - was detailed in Sports Illustrated at the time.

PLUGS!

• Vintage Ice Hockey.com has t-shirts, hoodies, jerseys and more featuring over 100 classic hockey logos. Vintage Ice Hockey also carries our Al Arbour and “The Island” merch, and our portion of the sales are donated directly to the Center for Dementia Research in the name of the coach. Use the code ANXIETY at checkout to save 15% on your order.
• Try wines from The Pinot Project. Delicious Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir that was named a 2022 Top 100 Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. All are under $15 a bottle and are available at local wine shops and at UBS Arena. Learn more at The Pinot Project.com. Please drink responsibly

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Theme song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek.

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