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Contributions from Brendan Burke, Stan Fischler, Chris King, and Jiggs McDonald.
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A portion of the proceeds goes to the Islanders Children’s Foundation.
Good Morning, Islanders Country.
Are you ready?
The schedule says it’s the regular season, but the playoff atmosphere starts tonight at UBS Arena. The Islanders are down to the final four games, with three coming on home ice. It’s an advantage and needs to be a difference-maker. If there was time to find out how much the NHL’s newest arena can feel and sound like the Old Barn, it’s tonight versus their nemesis, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Maybe it’s because it’s the first ‘normal’ season in four years, but this has felt like four seasons in one. The Isles have won and lost games in a variety of different ways - from comeback wins and blown leads to not being able to score to highlight reel saves that made all the difference. It’s been anything but boring.
Their style has changed; their personnel has changed, but despite the inconsistency seen throughout the year, they find themselves controlling their own destiny to make the playoffs and do what GM Lou Lamoriello sought to do when he ran it back this off-season. Get back in the playoffs and give the core of this team another chance to make another unexpected run.
“I just view it as an opportunity,” Lane Lambert said. “It’s a long season. It’s an 82-game season, and it’s coming down to the wire. And so, what better position to be in right now? Obviously, if you could have wrapped up a playoff spot, great. But we’re in the mix, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Are we looking forward to it? Yes.
Will we be nervous wrecks? Yes.
Could it be fun? Maybe.
Coming up, former Islanders join the current team on the ice for Bo Horvat’s birthday skate, and veterans talk about the opportunity in front of them. Plus, the buyout options for Josh Bailey, a creative GSAx visual, the 2002 team ends the playoff drought, and Glenn Healy talks about his time on Long Island.
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