NOW AVAILABLE! New York Islanders: A to Z will introduce a new generation of fans to the legendary players, magical moments, and colorful 50-year history of the Islanders.
Contributions from Brendan Burke, Stan Fischler, Chris King, and Jiggs McDonald.
You can purchase it HERE for 15% off with promo code “Playoffs”
A portion of the proceeds goes to the Islanders Children’s Foundation.
Good Morning, Islanders Country.
That was fun, wasn’t it?
So much fun it warranted a special Saturday edition.
In a Long Island 2 minutes and 18-second span, everything can change.
As loud, energetic, and boisterous as the crowd was throughout’s Friday night’s playoff debut of UBS Arena, there was a looming worry that the Islanders were going to let an opportunity slip away as the game remained tied late into the third period. But then, in the dwindling seconds of another power-play that looked destined to disappoint, Kyle Palmieri’s tip of a Sebastian Aho shot changed the game and perhaps the series.
Palms’ goal was the third-latest go-ahead goal in the playoffs over the past 30 years, trailing Brock Nelson (56:35; Game 3 of 2020 CF) and Shawn Bates (57:30; Game 4 of 2002 CQF). From there, the floodgates opened.
Goals from Matt Martin, Scott Mayfield (EN), and Anders Lee followed, and the Islanders, yes, the Islanders of all teams, set the record for the fastest four goals by a team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history - a mark that had been in place since 1944. If that can happen, anything can happen.
The Islanders were always good enough to win this series, and they are good enough to come back from down 0-2 against a Carolina Hurricanes team that has lost seven straight road playoff games dating back to last season.
UBS Arena Sounded Familiar
We knew it would be loud; we didn’t just know how loud.
UBS Arena delivered the decisive home-ice advantage the Islanders needed and counted on. Nothing will ever be the Nassau Coliseum - and that’s ok, but the team’s new palace at Belmont Park would’ve made the Old Barn proud last night.
"I didn't think anything would be like [Nassau] Coliseum, but it was pretty damn close," Matt Martin said during the post-game.
"Our fans bring so much energy for us and helped us tilt the ice, especially in that third period when we really needed a push. Just an unbelievable atmosphere - we love playing in front of these fans and in this building."
As the final buzzer sounded, game operations even played Maxine Nightingale's "Right Back Where We Started From," a well-orchestrated surprise for the 17,000+ fans that sang and danced in their seats long after the game was over.
The traditional horn honking after a win also made its playoff debut as cars filed out of the UBS Arena parking lot in no apparent rush to leave the party-like atmosphere they just experience on a Friday night in Elmont.
“I thought our fans were great. I knew it would be great, but they didn’t disappoint at all,” said head coach Lane Lambert.
No, they did not, and neither did his team.
Now, everyone, fans and players, get to do it again on Sunday afternoon.
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are back at it for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena. Face-off is set for 1:00 PM ET.
🏆 STANLEY CUP® PLAYOFFS:
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, the Isles scored four goals in a playoff period for the first time since May 8, 1993, vs. Pittsburgh. The team scored a power-play goal for the first time in their last eight home playoff games; it was also their first power-play goal of the series.
The Isles won a playoff game that was tied after 40 minutes by at least four goals for the first time since May 15, 1983, vs. EDM. Game 3 of the Final was tied 1-1 thru two periods; Isles won 5-1.
🗓 ISLES REWIND: On April 22, 2016, Alan Quine's double-OT goal lifted the Islanders to a 2-1 win and a 3-2 series lead in their First Round series against the Florida Panthers. Quine's goal ended the longest Isles game since 1987 and was their first Game 5 win since 1987. Thomas Greiss makes 47 saves in the win, including a penalty shot in the first overtime.
🔗 Islanders surge with four goals late in third period to beat Hurricanes in Game 3, pull within 2-1 by Andrew Gross, Newsday “Chance after chance after chance came and went, and still the Islanders were desperately trying to keep their season from reaching the brink. The goals finally came late in the third period, four in an NHL playoff-record 2 minutes, 18 seconds. Better late than never.”
🔗 Islanders' first UBS Arena playoff victory has local flavor by Neil Best, Newsday “It was a step toward creating memories for a new generation of fans too young to recall Nassau Coliseum in its heyday — or old enough to want more of the same, with nicer amenities.”
And we leave you with this… the Newsday back page
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Palmieri goal was relief. Martin was pure joy. Keep it going tomorrow.
......let me ADD a CLARIFICATION, Joe - the 2022-2023 'Islanders of all teams'; MANY of the earlier squads might've been able to pull off such a feat THEMSELVES, I'd suspect - but, point TAKEN ;) Also, NOT a SMALL chronological consideration that Maxine peaked at #2 (for TWO weeks straight) with "RBWWSF" on March 13, 1976 - i.e., just a MONTH before they DID indeed come 'back to right where they started from' a year earlier.....