Was Nassau Coliseum even louder during some 2000s Resurrection Moments than it was during the dynasty’s greatest moments? We’ll never know for sure, but a couple threads on Twitter elicited “loudest I ever heard that building” sentiments, though the Cup heyday and these other moments are a generation or two apart.
There was a release, to be sure, when the “NHL’s next great dynasty” (as Stan Fischler pegged them in 1976) finally reached its destiny, starting with the Bobby Nystrom overtime goal. And a case could be made for the decibel level following Ray Ferraro’s OT winners during his magical ‘93.
I wonder, then, with that glorious history behind them, and the torturous ‘90s years — 1993 excluded — casting an oppressive shadow, if the Shawn Bates and Anthony Beauvillier overtime goals tapped into a more primal roar, at least in the memory of those who lived them?
This is not scientific, and it doesn’t really matter anyway, but for completely non-equalized sound comparison, or really just to give yourself a jolt of adrenaline or three, here are three massive moments in Nassau Coliseum history.
The 2002 series against Toronto had the added venom of the Leafs being such absolute, dirty shitheads on top of it being almost a decade since the Isles had competed in a playoff series.
That’s the Islanders’ retrospective version, and the production music kind of interferes with the crowd audio. Here’s the ESPN2 version, which captures more of the pure audio and the announcers are positively giddy about the atmosphere. (Bonus points for capturing Gary Roberts whining to the refs about the call somehow.)
(By the way, Weird Islanders guest Pinholes Graham had a great look at this series back in 2022.)
Then there’s the Beau (not Bo) goal, the last goal at Nassau Coliseum, forcing a Game 7 against the Lightning and ensuring that, even if they didn’t win that one to advance to their first Cup final in four decades, it at least closed the Coliseum in proper fashion.
Sometimes I still can’t believed this happened, 68 seconds into overtime (mercifully quick after a night of tension), and I wonder how that kid being hoisted by his dad next to the penalty box is doing today. Damn, what a moment:
But come on, nothing touches the OG, right? Part of the fun of Islanders’ playoff history is that non-star players like Bobby Nystrom and Ken Morrow didn’t just have one heroic moment, they had multiple, memorable OT goals:
As an extra time-wasting spiritually fulfilling bonus, here’s every playoff OT goal through 2021:
Anyway, the present-day Isles are off for three weeks but the Olympics start soon. Enjoy your day.