Scenes From the Islanders Home Opener

For the first time since March 7, the puck dropped on an Islanders game at Nassau Coliseum.
It was a welcome sight, as was the Islanders playing a game back on Long Island after plying their trade in various bubbles over the summer. The only thing missing was 14,000 rabid Islanders fans, cheering on what eventually became a
1-0 win over the Bruins
, as the building was too quiet for the team's first home win over Boston since 2013. An emphatic Yes! Yes! Yes! would have been the preferred soundtrack to
JG Pageau's game-winning goal
and a healthy Var-ly! Var-ly! to serenade Semyon Varlamov's
27-save shutout.

Hopefully that comes as a COVID-19 vaccine rolls out and society returns to normal, as the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike deserves a proper sendoff before the team opens up UBS Arena in the fall. So do the fans and the players, who are long overdue for a chance to thank each other for the support over the summer.
"The Coli is special and always will be," Casey Cizikas said. "There aren't too many rinks that measure up to it and it's something we take pride in and love playing in that building. Just leaving the game last night, you have fans outside cheering us on when we leaving the building and that's something special. That just shows the commitment they have towards us and that shows when we go on the ice, we want to compete for them."
It was an unusual night during an unusual year, but it was one that'll be remembered nonetheless. Here are a few observations from Monday's home opener.

THANK YOU ESSENTIAL WORKERS:

There are tarps over seats in most, if not all, of the NHL buildings currently. It helps keep the background look neutral and not distracting, but is also a canvas for arena and team sponsors alike.
The Islanders had their share of sponsors on the large tarps, but reserved the one at center ice for a thank you to essential workers.
It's the best seat in the house and they'll deserve it when fans are allowed back in the building for all of their sacrifice, hard work and dedication during the pandemic.

FAN CUTOUTS:

While fans couldn't physically be in the building, there were plenty of silhouettes in the stands, as fans sent in pictures of themselves to be turned into cardboard cutouts to fill the arena bowl.
It won't count towards any official stats, but 719 cutouts were in attendance for the opener, populating the end zones behind each goal. The cutouts showed the spectrum of Islanders fans, from season ticket members, to the Isle of Dogs, two rows dedicated to canines in section 108. Keep an eye on the crowd to spot some celebrities this season and check back later this week to newyorkislanders.com to see a gallery of the cutouts.
"The cutouts say a lot about our fans, they're a really passionate group," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "It's great the way it was set up. Anything helps. Trust me, it helps."
The cutouts were for a good cause, as all proceeds benefit the Islanders Children's Foundations.
Fans can still purchase cutouts
for $85, while season ticket members get a discounted rate of $75.

A SIGN OF THE TIMES:

If you've been to an Islander game, you've seen Patrick Dowd, better known as Sign Guy.
Dowd wasn't at Monday's game, but one of his custom, homemade signs was in its rightful place, perched up against the glass next to the tunnel where the Islanders enter. It was a classic, an "Always Believe" with four Stanley Cups.
Kudos to the Islanders' Game Presentation crew for picking up on the little details that make the game special.

THE BONES OF THE BUILDING ARE ALIVE AND WELL:

The aura of the Coliseum comes the fans, who manufacture the noise and the legendary atmosphere that feels like it's closing in on visiting teams, starting from the low ceiling and pressing downwards.
It's the fans who give the Coliseum its soul and while that was missing on Monday, the bones of the building tried to do their part for the Islanders.
Pucks ricocheted off the stanchions at all angles on dump ins, popping out at intermittent places. Head Coach Barry Trotz said before the game there won't be an advantage for any home teams in the NHL without fans, but knowing the intricacies of the lively boards and unpredictable glass at the Coli could come into play during the season.
Just ask Johnny Boychuk, who used to practice firing pucks off the sweet spots behind the net during Coliseum morning skates, or even Trotz, who said that familiarity with the lively boards in Toronto factored into the puck retrieval plans in the bubble.
"There is. A couple of times yesterday we forgot them," Trotz said of the Coliseum quirks. "It's been a while since we played there... Knowing your building helps forsure.