Wade DubielewiczEvery so often Islanders history repeats itself and tonight's melodramatic end to the regular season inspires memories of an unreal end of a campaign 16 years ago.
This was the 2006-07 season with Ted Nolan behind the Nassau bench hoping to regain a playoff berth that the Isles had missed the previous year. It was an up and down campaign with new g.m. Garth Snow making like a Vegas poker dealer.
Instead of shuffling cards, Snow completed so many trades it would make headline writers dizzy. And as a former goalie, he suffered migraines when his hotshot puckstopper Rick DiPietro was sidelined with a severe concussion.
Worse still, backup Mike Dunham was -- well -- just about done, leaving Snow in a dilemma. No doubt Snowy thought about putting on the pads himself but there had to be an option and there was one, although not very appetizing at the time.
With a playoff berth seemingly out of the question, Snow promoted little-known goalkeeper Wade Dubielewicz and said, "You're the man. Get us a couple of wins."
That was more easily said than done, but on March 15, 2007 the unlikely-looking goalie with the unlikely nickname -- Dubie-Dubie-Doo -- officially became an Islander.
Dubie's -- and the Islanders -- challenge was not one to inspire the betting fraternity to support him. And here's why:
1. There were four games left for the Isles and they were four points out of the eighth and final playoff rung.
2. Teams on the Islandeers agenda began with the hated Rangers, then followed by a fringe-playoff Leafs outfit, plus the lowly Flyers and finally to New Jersey where the Devils already had clinched a postseason berth.
The Rangers battle came down to a shootout in which the Isles would win if Dubie could stop Michael Nylander and Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr. Remarkably, Wade went to his "secret weapon" to fool the foe.
Down went Nylander stunned by the poke checking Dubie. Next up, the wise and crafty Jagr never figured that the compact Islander goalie would dare try his now not-so-secret weapon again.
Yes! Another poke, another save and a 3-2 Islanders win. Next up Toronto, which had a three point lead on the Isles. And this time the script was equally thrilling with a 2-2 deadlock in the third period.
Little Jason Blake of the Nassaumen moved on to center stage breaking the tie with his 40th goal of the season. Aron Asham and Miro Satan added two-goal gravy and the Nassaumen celebrated a 5-2 decision.
Enter the weekend finales.
For Ted Nolan's sextet it began with a Saturday afternoon matinee on Broad Street where the Flyers refused to go easy. They came back from an 0-3 deficit to make it a scary 3-2 game before unsung Isles hero Satan scored to cement the 4-2 edge; and it was over.
So, here's the down-to-the-wire scoreboard after Toronto won that night: Leafs: 91 points; Canadiens: 90 points; Islanders: 90 points.
WATCH: The final night of the 2007 season unfold
Ah, but destiny was in the Islanders hands with the finale at the Devils' Meadowlands rink. And here's where Hollywood script writers wouldn't touch the storyline, but the NHL did thanks to the irrepressible Dubie.
Once again the game went to a shootout. When the Isles' Viktor Kozlov beat Devils goalie Scott Clemmensen, it now was up to New Jersey's Sergei Brylin to best Dubie or the Isles were in.
(I worked that game and I knew Brylin's moves well. He was one of the smartest players in the NHL at the time and a three-time Stanley Cup winner.) Okay, here goes:
As Dubielewicz crouched, his eyes riveted to Brylin's stick, the Devil cruised in, faked a shot and went to his right for the backhand.
SWISH! Out flashed Dubie's goal stick like a rapier, and there went the puck, harmlessly into the corner.
And with that swift Dubie-do thrust, the Islanders were IN!