Fischler Reacts to Game One of the Stanley Cup Final Had you suggested last October that an unknown goalkeeper named Adin Hill would lead the Vegas Golden Knights to the 2023 Stanley Cup, you'd have been laughed all the way to The Isle of May. This fellow from British Columbia wasn't even on the club's depth charge. He was oh-for-nine if you really want to go down the Knights' goalie line. READ MORE: Islanders vs. Rangers Stadium Series Updates From NHL [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/news/new-york-islanders-new-york-rangers-stadium-series-2024-metlife-stadium-nhl] In the absence of ailing Robin Lehner, Vegas listed Laurent Brossoit, Logan Thompson, and Michael Hutchinson as the top three crease cops. But he's sure became Nevada's top banana as this postseason unfolded. Likewise, had you walked into the Islanders dressing room -- or press room or whatever -- after they had won their first Stanley Cup and mentioned that a veritable unknown named Roland Melanson would replace Glenn (Chico) Resch, you'd be invited to a saliva test. "Chico was a fixture with us," said Bob Nystrom. "We almost go back to when I joined the team. For years he was one of the most popular guys on the team." Then again, so was Lehner in Sin City two years ago. That is before his hips started doing a cha-cha-cha, and surgery sidelined him for the duration. So it was that the seemingly eternal Resch eventually was disposed of in the Used Goalie Lot, and replaced by the previously unknown Roland Melanson. They called him "Rollie The Goalie," a product of the Islanders' farm system but not exactly a byword on Hempstead Turnpike. "We had been happy with Chico and Smitty as our one-two goalie combo," said Jim Devellano, who had been Bill Torrey's chief scout at the time. "But I liked what I'd been seeing of Melanson and knew that eventually, he'd make it to the big club." Devellano, now executive vice president of the Detroit Red Wings, agreed with Torrey that the Isles were able to beat Philadelphia for their first Stanley Cup without Resch. That, of course, meant that sooner or later, Chico would go bye-bye. "Before trading Chico," Torrey said, "we had to be sure about Rollie on a big league level. That's why we used him a bit in the year after the first Cup." Bow Tie Bill watched Rollie The Goalie post an 8-1-1 record in Melanson's audition campaign, 1980-81. He also won a playoff game that spring. It was enough for him to gain full-time backup work in 1981-82. Given the opportunity, Melanson proved to be a borderline star. A 22-7-6 record will do that for a netminder. Ditto for the following season when Rollie posted impressive 24-12-5 numbers for the Orange and Blue skaters. Put 'em all together, and you have 54-20-12, and a couple of Cup rings for Rollie The Goalie. Granted that Adin Hill has no claim on a Cup ring at the moment. After all, one victory in the Final still is a big three away from The Grail. I still can't believe that -- until this past March -- he was "Adin Who?" Let's face it, Hill's transformation since then is sweet and provides me with sugary thoughts of another out-of-nowhere rubber-stopper. Rollie The Goalie was good enough to break in -- and on -- to the greatest team of all time. Adin Hill has been good enough to pace Vegas to within three wins of becoming good friends with Stanley! One forgotten goalie's wish was fulfilled, and he was a laudable Islander. Another once-ignored stopper could have his realized within a week!
