Islanders unbeaten in two games,
tie Northwest division leading Minnesota Wild

Garth Snow was a game star once again, perhaps playing too well to retire, on the night J. P. Vigier also was a star after coming off of a three-month stint in the minors, teaming up with rookie Immonen on the fourth line to score an important goal and help offset the top star of the game, from the Wild, all-star Zetterberg.

Will the Islanders make it three games in a row unbeaten against powerhouses?
That's not possible, as the next game is against the lowly Rangers and twice this week against the nonplayoff-positioned Penguins.

A five or six game streak is possible.

Coach Nolan shrugs at talk of competing for a playoff spot this season: "We're geared to compete in a year or two at the earliest, a ways down the road. What the boys are doing now is developing their skills and improving. We expect next year's crop of players to be among the league's best, of course, we're taking about the farm club there."