Exactly. Couldn't have said it any better. Everything has to be practically perfect for a TC of at least min hurricane intensity to make landfall on LI or the New England coast. One thing is off (i.e. not moving fast enough, trof to W not sharp enough, first landfall down the coast, etc) it greatly reduces the overall threat and impact, at least from a wind and surge point. Rainfall can still be high impact, but you don't need a hurricane for that anywhere. It also helps if the hurricane is intense off the SEUS coast to begin with.
It's been 29 years since the last hurricane made landfall on LI or the New England coast, by far the longest period on record going back to 1851. This shows how hard it can be during certain cycles/patterns. Of course, between 1938 and 1960, we got 5 hurricanes, all stronger at landfall than any of the 4 hurricanes the area has had since 1960. Feast or famine it seems!