The National Hockey League saw the birth of a new dynasty in 1980. The New York Islanders had been an expansion franchise in 1972 in the New York City suburbs of Long Island. For years they played in the long shadow of the big-city New York Rangers and were considered the league’s laughingstock during their first season. Miraculously, eight years later, they were champions. Despite their mercurial rise in the 1970s—which included a first-place overall finish in the 1978-79 season—the Islan...

Relive the Moment When the Bruins Won It All!After thirty-nine torturous, winless years, the Bruins finally returned home with their prize - but bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston was no easy feat.The heated series, arguably the scrappiest in play off history, took a toll on the Black and Gold and their fans. Brutal hits and at-the-buzzer losses were enough to wane anyone's faith. Fans couldn't help but cringe as they watched their favorite team repeat...

Initiating new fans into the world of Knicks lore or reminding die-hard supporters why this New York NBA team is always their number one, this entertaining resource distills 66 years of team history into the top 100 things to know and do—encouraging Knicks fans to live each day like it's a playoff run. Most Knicks fans have experienced a game in Madison Square Garden, have seen highlights of a young Patrick Ewing, or have heard the story behind the franchise's last championship in 1973; bu...

The National Hockey League saw the birth of a new dynasty in 1980. The New York Islanders had been an expansion franchise in 1972 in the New York City suburbs of Long Island. For years they played in the long shadow of the big-city New York Rangers and were considered the league’s laughingstock during their first season. Miraculously, eight years later, they were champions. Newly revised, Birth of a Dynasty: The 1980 New York Islanders is the story of how it happened, how it came ...

The National Hockey League saw the birth of a new dynasty in 1980. The New York Islanders had been an expansion franchise in 1972 in the New York City suburbs of Long Island. For years they played in the long shadow of the big-city New York Rangers and were considered the league’s laughingstock during their first season. Miraculously, eight years later, they were champions. Despite their mercurial rise in the 1970s’-which included a first-place overall finish in the 1978-79 season’-the Isl...

When Mamakitty’s newest kitten is born, the owners of the New England farm where they live are away on a short vacation, and the kitten comes into the world in the sock drawer of a bedroom dresser. The farmer and his wife return to find the tiny, perfectly white kitten with her mother, and they name her Angel. From then on, Angel has many kitten lessons. Indoors, she learns to walk, where not to take a nap, and that kittens and hair driers just don’t mix. Exploring outdoors, she gets chase...

The life and times of the eight-time Stanley Cup winnerWhen Boston coach Lynn Patrick was asked who he’d pick between Rocket Richard or Gordie Howe he answered, “Neither! I’ll take Red Kelly!” The only player to have won eight Stanley Cups without playing for Montreal, Red began his life in hockey on the cedar swamps near Port Dover, Ontario, and went on to win accolades and championships as a Detroit Red Wing and Toronto Maple Leaf.Go back in time with Red...

Sudden Death brings to life the incredible ongoing saga of the Swift Current Broncos hockey team. After a tragic game-day bus accident on December 30, 1986, left four of its star players dead, the first-year Western Hockey League team was faced with nearly insurmountable odds against not only its future success but its very survival. The heartbreaking story made headlines across North America, and the club garnered acclaim when it triumphantly rebounded and won the Canadian Hockey...

Pat Burns was one of the great NHL coaches. He worked with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils, and seemed always to enjoy instant success. He capped his extraordinary career by coaching the New Jersey Devils to a Stanley Cup victory in 2003. Cancer--his third bout--finally claimed him in 2010, aged 58.Rosie DiManno, who knew Burns well, has written a revealing, exhilarating and heartfelt account of his life: his childhood as a fatherles...

Every young hockey player dreams of one day playing in the NHL, of skating on a line with his hero and drinking champagne in the dressing room after winning the Stanley Cup. But kids should watch what they wish for. They may make it to the pros, like Sean Pronger, only to end up playing for sixteen teams over eleven seasons. They may end up on a team with a guy like the Great One, but skate on his line only in practice when the bona fide first-line centre has the flu. And they may end up d...

Dan Snyder narrowly escaped being cut from his junior hockey team for two years in a row. That’s hardly the stuff that nhl careers are made of. But Snyder earned his spot on the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers roster through sheer force of will and strength of character, even though scouts thought the odds were against him.Those who knew Snyder describe him as the kind of person others naturally gravitated towards. One of those people was Dany Heatley, college star, All-Star, and marked on...

The making of the Blue Jays’ 2013 season.After a disastrous 2012 season, the Blue Jays had a major makeover, adding an array of star players through trades and free–agent signings, including R.A. Dickey, the best pitcher in the National League last year, and ticket sales have since soared. Starting with a behind–the–scenes look at the offseason fallout that led to the roster upheaval, this book covers every aspect of the 2013 season with a particular focus on the personali...