I had mixed emotions in 1985 when I knew for sure that I was going to go away to college. There was a certain level of excitement to be on my own for the first time in my life, but there was also the sadness of being away from my family.
There was also the reality of not being able to see my favorite teams play all of the time, but since I was attending Buffalo State College, there was an opportunity each year to see my teams play in enemy territory.
I was able to see the Islanders battle the Sabres at Memorial Auditorium and the Jets against the Bills at Rich Stadium while also making the short drive to Toronto to see the Yankees play the Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium. There was even one time when I was able to see the Knicks play a pre-season game in Hamilton, Ontario which is about halfway between Buffalo and Toronto.
But with holidays and breaks in the school year came the opportunity to come home and see family and friends…and during my first winter break in December 1985/January 1986, there were a few chances to see the Islanders on home ice at Nassau Coliseum…
Like January 2nd, 1986 when the Islanders hosted the Boston Bruins.
We knew in advance that it was already going to be a special night because “The Captain” Denis Potvin was going to be honored in a pre-game ceremony for breaking Bobby Orr’s record for career points by a defenseman. Potvin had reached that milestone on December 20th, 1985 during a 2-2 tie with the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. In the second period, Potvin career point number 916 when he assisted on Mike Bossy’s 495th career NHL goal.
Once it was announced that the Islanders were going to honor Potvin on January 2nd, I was able to secure a ticket in section 336 row R seat 14.
What Islanders fans like myself didn’t know as they entered the Coliseum that night was that there was also going to be history made on the ice during the game.
Islanders Hall of Fame right wing Mike Bossy entered the game with 498 career goals but was held off the scoresheet until late in the third period. With the game tied 5-5, Bossy scored at 17:38 beating Bruins goalie Doug Keans to give the Islanders a 6-5 lead. Boston would pull Keans to get the extra attacker on the ice and the Islanders were clinging to that one goal lead as the Coliseum scoreboard clock ticked under 30 seconds to play.
John Tonelli stole the puck at the Bruins line and fed a pass to Bossy who skated in alone and scored into the empty net with 17 seconds left for his 500th career NHL goal.
He became the first player in NHL history to score his 500th career goal into an empty net.
“My 500th goal is probably one of my most unexciting goals of my career,” said Bossy during an interview with NHL.com during the NHL’s 100th season in 2016-17. “Once everything was said and done and the 500th was scored, it didn’t really how I scored it because it was an achievement that I was very proud of.”
And I was proud to be there to see it in person.
Timing is everything and while away at college is something you have to adjust to, it worked out that I was home for one of the many memorable nights in the 50-year history of the New York Islanders.