Al Arbour Returns for 1 Game

[Habsfan84]

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Al Arbour went out a winner this time.
Nothing could've been more fitting for Long Island's greatest champion.
In his return to the bench for one night only, the Arbour-led New York Islanders rallied from a two-goal deficit and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 Saturday night.
Arbour was behind the bench for the Islanders' four Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s and was invited back to coach the team for the 1,500th time. He earned win No. 740 behind two goals by Miroslav Satan, with the winner coming with only 2:41 left when Satan put in a rebound of Marc-Andre Bergeron's shot.

Arbour retired after the Islanders were swept in the first round of the 1994 playoffs by the New York Rangers, but now he can leave on a winning note.

On his return he didn't move more than a few steps away from his spot to the left of regular coach Ted Nolan, whose idea it was to have the Hall of Fame coach come back to the Islanders.
No one has coached or won more games with one team than Arbour. He left the second time when Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was less than seven years old.
A banner commemorating his 739 previous wins was lowered after the game, replaced by one with his name and 1,500.
Arbour held a lineup card in his left hand throughout and raised both arms in jubilation when Satan erased the remnants of a two-goal deficit 5:30 into the third period. Nolan did a spin and leap of his own.
That was nothing compared to how the whole bench jumped when Satan put the Islanders in front.
Trent Hunter got New York within 2-1 midway through the second after Ryan Malone and rookie Tyler Kennedy built the advantage for the Penguins, 1-2 on a four-game road trip.
Crosby assisted on Malone's goal to stretch his point streak to a career-best 12 games and then drew the ire of the sold-out Nassau Coliseum crowd when he struck Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro in the mask with his stick in the second period.
Crosby was going to be called for goalie interference but instead got four minutes for high-sticking. DiPietro, who had already left for the dressing room, was called back down the tunnel to show the referee he had been cut near the eye before retreating again.
Wade Dubieliewicz was perfect in relief of DiPietro.
The Islanders couldn't convert then or on any of their six power-play chances.
Malone made sure the Penguins netted a man-advantage goal for the 13th straight game, every one they've played. Crosby went without a point in Pittsburgh's season-opening loss at Carolina, but hasn't been shut down since.
Malone has 12 career goals in 19 games against the Islanders - his most against any team. Both of Malone's NHL hat tricks came last season in games with the Islanders, as did his first goal in the league - scored in 2003.
After a straightforward first period in which the Islanders held an 11-8 leads in shots, things turned strange in the second.
Less than two minutes into the frame, Kennedy - in his fourth NHL game since being called up last week - ripped a shot that appeared to sail into the top left corner behind DiPietro, but it was waved off by referee Eric Furlatt.
Gary Roberts threw his hands up in celebration with the rest of his Pittsburgh teammates, but play continued for another 1:51 until the next stoppage. Video replay confirmed Kennedy's first career goal and gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.
New York allowed eight Pittsburgh shots before recording its first of the period at 5:10. That was enough to jump-start the Islanders.
On a wraparound by the Penguins, the puck took a funny hop and caromed back in front to Hunter, alone in the slot for a quick shot that cut New York's deficit to 2-1 at 8:20.
DiPietro didn't return after taking Crosby's stick in the mask, finishing with 16 saves on 18 shots.
Marc-Andre Fleury made his first appearance on the trip. Dany Sabourin beat Minnesota, but couldn't protect a two-goal lead at Colorado on Thursday in Pittsburgh's 3-2 loss.
Notes: Former Islanders general manager Bill Torrey, who hired Arbour, dropped the ceremonial first puck with Scotty Bowman, the only man with more NHL coaching victories than Arbour. . The Penguins scored a power-play goal in the first 14 games of the 1988-89 season. . Crosby had 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in seven games against the Islanders last season. . Malone has more points (17) versus New York than any other opponent.

[Habsfan84]

What a way to honour hiem. Good job by the Islanders group.