[Big T]

December 21st, 1982



New York Islanders (23-14-5) at Montreal Canadiens (22-17-2)

Montreal on back to back nights for the 2nd time in a week. Montreal has another back to back games situation in early January, but will send down G Richard Day to the AHL and bring back up G Jason Wells for St John's. LW Lorenzo Bocci has still not be cleared to play.

The Islanders are currently in 5th place in the Eastern Conference, 4 points behind the leading Hurricanes. The Islanders rank 12th in GAA with 2.50 and are scoring at exactly the same pace.

C Philippe Caron leads the Islanders with 13 goals and leads with 31 points on the season in 42 games. The 19 year old from Gatineau, QC is a strong playmaker with above average physical strength. In his rookie season in the NHL, he played the previous 2 seasons with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL where he had 99 goals and 240 points with 474 PIMs and a +95 rating in 144 WHL games. Caron was the Islanders 13th overall pick in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

LW Tim Hull leads the team with 25 assists and is 3rd in points with 29 in 42 games. The 20 year old Hull is an offensive forward with strong playmaking ability and good stamina. In his 2nd year as an Islander, he now has 17 goals with 85 points and 72 PIMs with a -19 rating. After finishing his junior career with the Mississauga Steelheads, he was selected 110th overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

C Jim Lafayette is 2nd on the team with 29 points including 12 goals. The 38 year old offensive forward is a strong playmaker but not a very physical player. After playing 2 years with the cross town Rangers, Lafayette was traded to the Islanders on July 1st, 1982. In 200 career NHL games, he has 54 goals and 144 points with 130 PIMs and a +2 rating.

The Islanders will dress G Jake Wooten, he has 17 wins in 31 starts with a .910 save % while Montreal starts G Mike Blackshear. He has 19 wins in 33 starts and a .893 save %.

The Islanders make it 1-0 at 11:15 of the 1st period when C Phillippe Caron gets his 14th of the year. Montreal has yet to register a shot over 11 minutes in. Incredible 1st period for the Islanders. The shots were 16 to 0, yes nothing. I don't think I have ever seen this.

Finally at about 7:30 of the 2nd period, Montreal gets its first shot of the game. The period ends with the score still 1-0 for the Islanders. The shots were 8 to 6 in the 2nd period for the Islanders. Islanders are 0 for 4 on the PP while Montreal is 0 for 1.

The poured it on in the 3rd outshooting the Islanders 15 to 2, but could not capitalize and get the tying goal. The Islanders hang on to win.

Islanders C Phillippe Caron was named the 1st star with the only goal. The 19 year old Caron now has 14 goals with 18 assists for 32 points in 43 games.

Islanders 1 Montreal 0

PER	TEAM	GOAL	#	ASSIST	ASSIST
1st	NYI	Phillippe Caron	14	Mitchell Dargel	Tim Hull
2nd		No Scoring
3rd		No Scoring

MAJOR PENALTY's
PER	TEAM	PLAYER	MIN	PENALTY
2nd	MTL	Marek Bartolcic	5	Fighting
2nd	NYI	Alex Barszcz	5	Fighting

TEAM	GOALIE	SA	GA
NYI	Jake Wooten	21	0
MTL	Mike Blackshear	26	1

Around the league........



Dallas Stars LD Javier Garcia will miss up to 2 months with a fractured shoulder blade. The 20 year old Garcia has 7 goals and 32 points in 41 games this season. In his second season in the NHL, the former Everett Silvertip has 23 goals and 84 points with 42 PIMs and a +24 rating in 122 NHL games.

Pittsburgh Penguins RW Gary Fox had a goal in a 2-1 win over the Sharks. The 26 year old Fox now has 18 goals and 39 points in 39 games. The former Los Angeles King has 51 goals with 118 points and 128 PIMs and a +3 rating in 196 career NHL games.

Montreal Canadiens LW Lorenzo Bocci has been cleared to play again after suffering an strained abdominal muscle on November 6th, 1982. The 29 year old Bocci has 14 goals and 24 points in 23 games this season. To make room on the roster for Bocci, the Habs have demoted C Jim Rutgers to the AHL. In 28 games this season, Rutgers has 0 goals and 4 points.