• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Islanders try to halt worst start in franchise history

Oct 11, 2006 - 2:48 PM NY Islanders (0-3-0) at Anaheim (3-0-0) 10:00 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- New York Islanders coach Ted Nolan could not have imagined things beginning this bad in his return to the league.

Nolan again seeks his first victory with the Islanders, who attempt to end their early three-game losing streak Wednesday when they wrap up their West Coast road trip against the Anaheim Ducks.

A former Jack Adams Award winner with the Buffalo Sabres, Nolan is back as a coach in the NHL for the first time since 1996-1997. However, he has seen his new team outscored, 12-5, to open a season with three defeats for the first time in franchise history.

Richard Park and Alexei Yashin scored their initial goals of the campaign in the first period for the Islanders, who were 0-for-7 on the power play in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

With victories over the Kings, the Phoenix Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues, Anaheim is one of only four teams to win their first three contests this season. The Ducks have yielded just one tally in their last two contests.

Chris Kunitz scored twice with the man advantage and Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 34 saves for his 22nd career shutout for Anaheim in Monday's 2-0 victory over the Blues.

The teams are facing each other for the only time this season. They have not met since New York posted a 3-1 triumph on March 12, 2004.