When Did You First Get Into The Hockey/The Islanders?

[Isles Junkie]

1994. i've only known misery

 

[Bones45]

Yikes.. how is the therapy going?

That was a horrible year for Isles hockey.. Actually.. thinking about it.. couldnt be any worse....

 

[tag0519]

Back to the old schooler's.. Does anyone remember the woman who would wear the rainbow wig who had seats right near the zamboni entrance back in the glory days?

Every time the isles would score, the camera guy in the corner, would pan to show her, as well as this normal looking guy in Bossy jersey... like clockwork...

Anyway.. the woman in the rainbow wig was a fixture in our house, mainly b/c she taught Home Economics in my school at the time. How about that for random thoughts for the day...

Oh well..

"The woman in the rainbow wig" ... wow great stuff and memories.

 

[gadiamon72]

When cablevision came to CT, the Isles were in the midst of their cup years. That and having friends and family out on LI, I became a fan. I was 11 years old. It wasn't until the cup run was long over that I went to my first game, a 9-3 victory over the Pens in 1990. That same year I attended the game where Trots scored #500 as well as the game against the Bruins, celebrating 10 years since cup #1. Been hooked through thick and thin ever since.

 

[19NYSports91]

When I was 4 years old (1995) I started playing hockey and I remember going to some Isles games, but obv didn't really know what was going on at the time. Always enjoyed playing hockey and baseball more than any other sport.

I loved this this game when I was a kid.

 

[19NYSports91]

In 2002. My buddy brought me to a game and I just got into it. They lost all 4 games I went to that year, including the isles rags game where they were up 4-1 after the first and then lost 5-4.
Shortly after I learned how to skate and saved up for my goalie pads

I was at that game, I was only 11 yrs old, but I remember that game pretty good. I went with my cousin and uncle who are rangers fans, and I was gloating when they were up 4-1. Fleury scored a couple of times including the game winner unfortunately. I'm pretty sure Peca hit the post in the 3rd.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Back to the old schooler's.. Does anyone remember the woman who would wear the rainbow wig who had seats right near the zamboni entrance back in the glory days?

Every time the isles would score, the camera guy in the corner, would pan to show her, as well as this normal looking guy in Bossy jersey... like clockwork...

Anyway.. the woman in the rainbow wig was a fixture in our house, mainly b/c she taught Home Economics in my school at the time. How about that for random thoughts for the day...

Oh well..

Ha! Yep. Remember him too!

 

[Bones45]

Ha! Yep. Remember him too!

Blue/away jersey, right? LOL

 

[wingnutks]

I was 9. In 1991 my parents got me tickets to Isles vs Rangers for Christmas, the game was Dec 28th. My favorite player, Ray Ferraro, scored the game winning goal with 3 seconds left. Impossibly awesome!

 

[islescoop]

My fault....

At age of 7, moved from Hicksville to Atlanta, GA in 1983. Vague memories of the last few cup teams. Die hard fan ever since. Clearly my parents fault since the Isles haven't won a damn thing since we've moved. NHL Center Ice is the best thing ever invented. Volek in 93, still my top sports moment of all time. Can't even imagine the thrill if and when we ever raise the cup again.

 

[KidThatWonTheCalder]

Fan since birth (now 23)... My Grandpa had season tickets from the start (72) in Section 321. Saw every Cup win... Used to leave his job in the city early so he could make it back to tailgate with his neighbors from across the street in Valley Stream.

Grandparents only had daughters, so when I was born it was like a godsend to my grandpa lol... He and my mother would usually go to the games since the early days, so my mother would take me to the barn when I was an infant. Grew up in that place... Sad that they're leaving for many reasons. One of them is that they even let the Coliseum get to the point that it is today... It really is dilapidated now.

Grandpa gave up his tickets when I went away to college, but we go to a game every time I'm home and there's a game at the Barn.

 

[BTrotts19]

One of my first memories was watching one of the few games televised on Channel 9 (I think it was) locally here in NY. Must have been around '77 or so. Another early memory was the Lanny McDonald OT goal in the playoffs , listening to it on radio and crying my eyes out.

 

[BMOK33]

Started when my dad's business friend who had season tickets took us to 2 games vs. the Caps in the 93 playoffs, also was at game 3 vs Montreal. Never followed the NHL before that. I watched some more games in 93-94 on TV while my dad's friend occasionally gave us tickets to a few games he could not make, 94-95 I watched even more and the entire playoffs. Then in September 1995 my girlfriend broke up with me and I was depressed as hell, so I was stuck at home every Saturday night those next few months and with that being the night the Isles always have played I was watching every game, also went to about 15 games that season so it really started that year, I think I missed seeing maybe 3 games that year.

 

[don28]

It started about 1975-76 (can't exactly recall). I just remember that I liked the Islanders' logo better than the Rangers, and it carried on from there. The playoff losses stung, and my family moved to Florida in 1978, meaning no more TV games. However, the love of hockey never died, and the glory years were well worth it.

When we got an expansion team in South Florida in 1993 (Florida Panthers), lo and behold it was comprised of former Islanders Bill Torrey and Billy Smith as well as Denis Potvin as a color analyst. Still a fan now, even though I moved to Nashville, TN 8 years ago. Even flew up to Brooklyn in September to see the Barclays Center game.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Buahaha! I saw this message title on the main page next to the Metro conference and right away said to myself, "Probably coming from the Isles board because there is nothing else of interest to talk about from this team". Sure enough....behold the "Our team blows so let's talk about something else" thread.

 

[mitchy22]

I was into hockey the first second my brother realized he could take slapshots at me somewhat safely.

I was a little kid, but I actually was in the stands for some of the playoff games during the dynasty years. I can't find where all of the stubs are though, which kind of sucks.

There was a lull for me for hockey in the late 80s which resurged in the very early 90s. I've been in varying states of hardcore about hockey ever since.

,
Mitch

 

[Pastunis]

I played a lot of NHL94 on PC back in the 90s but never got into watching games (because at that time there was no broadcast in Austria) until Vanek was drafted by the Sabres and Internet has grown to a huge multimedia platform.

Since then I follow the few austrian players in the NHL, especially Vanek and Grabner (and their teams). I watch about 50% of the Islanders games, but not live, because it's too late in the night and I like to fast forward the breaks.

 

[lorwood]

Going to date myself here,

Grew up in East Northport (Elwood technically) we were close to the Long Island Arena where I fell in love with two things, Hockey and Rock and Roll.

Spent many Saturday's watching the Long Island Ducks. If you watch the movie Slap Shot, which is basically about the Ducks and the EHL, you get a real feel for the genesis of Long Island Hockey. I think that it is great that in the Movie they pay homage, more than once, to the Ducks and to Long Island.

In one scene Paul Newman is getting under the skin of Long Island Ducks goalie "Hanrahan" who is seen in an actual replica of one of the Ducks uniforms and the scoreboard shows Long Island playing Charlestown.

In another scene Paul Newmans wife in the movie mentions that she is moving to Long Island.

The movie captured the spirit of the thing showing what the games, the fans and characters who played in the league were like. They also pretty much nailed what the arenas looked like.

One night the Ducks and Syosset sports sponsored puck night with every fan getting a free puck upon entry. Well sure enough during the game the opposition got a clean break away, needless to say the player never got passed the top of the circle having to hit the ice and take cover from the rain of pucks being launched at him.

One weekend afternoon there was a 52 minute brawl with the refs giving up and leaving the ice.

There never again will be a league like the EHL.

 

[JKP]

Being Canadian, I've watched, breathed, slept, played hockey in some form or other since birth. As for the Islanders, forget the exact time but in the late 70s or very early 80s I bet my grandpa $1 that his team (Habs or Leafs, can't remember) would lose to the Isles. I was 7 or 8. I won the buck. Big money back then. Been loyal Islander fan ever since. Made it easy in those days.

 

[Strome18]

Being Canadian, I've watched, breathed, slept, played hockey in some form or other since birth. As for the Islanders, forget the exact time but in the late 70s or very early 80s I bet my grandpa $1 that his team (Habs or Leafs, can't remember) would lose to the Isles. I was 7 or 8. I won the buck. Big money back then. Been loyal Islander fan ever since. Made it easy in those days.

Those dollars are worth a pretty penny with inflation, care to send that to Mr. Charles Wang?

I mean it would go a long way to building a quality defense core. Just saying...

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

Started playing somewhere between the ages of 6-8. Then at the age of 9 I started to watch during the 95-96 season. By the 96-97 season I was crazy about hockey and the Islanders. I only missed something like 2-3 games between then and 2009 until I left for the military, even being out of state for 3+ years I only missed maybe 20 games or so. Best moment was the 01-02 playoffs when I had box seats to the bates PS game...maybe soon the outdoor game will be up near that one, if we win.

Edit: I remember playing NHL 94 now that I think of it so I may have started watching a year sooner...

 

[carparkno1]

Long term lurker here - I asked this board for advice a couple years ago as I was flying from the UK to NYC for my batchelor party - was here to watch hockey and see Manhatten etc.

Went to a couple of Devils games, and having lived in Canada had seen a fair bit of hockey before but never had a team (screw the Leafs!).

Here we are two years later and I am a devout Isles fan. GCL subscribed, I watch the full game replays the night after and just avoid twitter etc inbetween - in my isles shirt and shouting at the xbox about how rubbish our D is whilst my wife wonders what could have been...

Being a Brit I do love my football (it ain't soccer and it never will be chaps!) and I support a small team that plays in blue that has an old stadium - think that's what appealed with the Isles. Just fell in love with the arena, the kit, the sightlines and the atmosphere vs the Bruins. I wouldn't have it any other way and I will be over again in March ))

 

[michaelrc51]

Longtime Lurker here as well......Been a fan ever since early 80s. Everytime I would visit my aunt and uncle's house in Garden City they would take my us to games. They had season tickets and would slip a $20 to the guy working the gate so I could get in. Shows you how times have changed!

I miss the atmosphere, almost went to a playoff game last year.....reminded me of the way the old barn was everytime I went to a game.