A New Season!

A new season is soon to be underway for the New York Islanders, who are once again fresh off a crushing defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The New York Islanders are set to open up their brand new, state-of-the-art arena at Belmont Park by the name of UBS Arena. The naming rights are held by UBS, the Union Bank of Switzerland. This new arena has been highly anticipated by Islanders fans, players, and executives as it will finally give the Islanders a long-term home they've sought for years. UBS Arena will replace NYCB Live at Nassau Coliseum, known to Isles fans as Fort Neverlose. UBS Arena will also replace the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which housed the Islanders for roughly four seasons, of which those seasons were mired in some controversial problems, most notably the obstructed seating and poor ice conditions. This new arena will look to birth a new era of Islanders hockey, which the Islanders hope they can begin on the strongest of notes by capturing the franchises fifth Stanley Cup, and first since 1983.

The season opener is set for October 14th against the Carolina Hurricanes, and the home opener at UBS Arena is set for November 20th. The Isles open up on a lengthy 13 game road trip before debuting their new arena. I wish the team the best of luck during their season and hope this is their year!

Go Islanders!

Preseason Game: Islanders 4 - 5 Rangers [OT]

The New York Islanders came into their final preseason game against their cross-town rival, the New York Rangers. Because the UBS Arena is still incomplete, this game took place at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, home of the Bridgeport Islanders, the New York Islanders AHL affiliate.

The Isles took off running with an early goal by Anders Lee on a zone entry at 3:03 of the first period. The Rangers, however, were able to answer on the powerplay with a goal by Vitali Kravstov at 17:22 of the opening frame.

The Rangers were quick to open the second period scoring when former Islander Ryan Strome snuck a shot home at 0:39 into the period. That would be the lone goal of the second period.

The Islanders were able to tie the game up early in the 3rd where star Mat Barzal deflected a shot by Noah Dobson at 2:06 into the period. Filip Chytil for the Rangers was quick to answer at 4:58 of the period to make it 3-2 Rangers. Anders Lee scored his second of the game at 7:41, this time on the power play, to tie it once again at 3. Once again, though, the Rangers answered on the power play at 9:38 when Filip Chytil netted his second of the night. As regulation approached the end, the Islanders pulled netminder Ilya Sorokin to get an extra attacker. With said extra attakcer out, Mat Barzal managed to score with 51 seconds remaining to tie it at 4, sending the game to OT.

Overtime was not a long venture as the Islanders once again allowed a power play goal to Filip Chytil at 2:06 of the extra frame, giving the Rangers a 5-4 overtime victory and closing out the Islanders preseason.

Let's Go Islanders!