After opening the first round in Pittsburgh, the Islanders came back to Long Island to play two straight at home. On Thursday evening, the Islanders hosted the Penguins for Game 3 of the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Nassau Coliseum. It was a thriller, but the Islanders came up short by a goal, losing 5-4.

The most important part was that fans were rocking the barn! I had the opportunity to go, which could be the last time I ever watch an Islanders game at Nassau Coliseum.

Tailgating

Obviously, tailgating is a huge part of going to an Islanders game. Fans love it. Going to the Coliseum two and a half hours before puck drop to cook food, blast music, and get excited for the game is part of the fun. That’s even more true for playoff hockey.

Tailgating returned on Thursday after a pause due to the COVID-19 protocols. Fans were there hours before the puck dropped, doing what they all love best: tailgating before an Islanders playoff game.

Fans arrived in the afternoon to begin their pregame fun. By around 5:45 p.m., the parking lot was filled with cars, honking to the “let’s go Islanders” chant. Fans were playing street hockey, cornhole and of course, screaming and yelling.

Warmups

As fans started to enter the arena, you could feel the intensity. Fans no longer were required to fill out the health questionnaire before entering the building, which sped up the lines.

Warmups began at 6:30 sharp, with Semyon Varlamov leading the Islanders out. Johnny Boychuck was spotted standing in the Islanders’ tunnel watching warmups, which suggests he has been around the players and has been giving his veteran advice to the younger players.

Fans were not allowed to go glass for warmups since the shutdown. But that changed yesterday. Fans were able to proceed down to the glass and watch warmups from there.

Puck Drop

Just after 7, the puck dropped at Nassau Coliseum to start Game 3. The energy was palpable. The second the puck dropped, fans started chanting “let’s go Islanders” along with many other chants. I had the chills after the first chant, which actually sounded like a packed arena that every fan has been missing.

The Game

The atmosphere was crazy and it felt like I was at a regular playoff game. It was electric. After any hit, takeaway, save or face-off win, the crowd went crazy.

After each of the four goals that the Islanders scored, the crowd erupted, and it was awesome. The hugs and high-fives with other Islanders fans in the rows below and above you were back and everyone was screaming.

Although the Islanders fell short, it was an epic experience and was definitely one of the best games that I have been to.

“It was huge,” Kyle Palmieri said about the fans. “It’s always been a tough building to play in. It’s special for us. Every guy in that room appreciates it.”

Jacob

Writer for Drive4Five covering the New York Islanders.