The Islanders have an extremely late home opener as they host the Calgary Flames this season on November 20th. For the Islanders franchise, it is a milestone and a celebration. They will be celebrating the opening of their brand new state-of-the-art arena that was built for the main purpose of being their home. The question that needs to be asked is how will UBS Arena affect the Islanders’ season?

Success at Home

In the 2021 NHL shortened season, the Islanders played 28 home games, with the latter part of the home slate having some fans in the building. In those 28 games, the Islanders went 21-4-3, resulting in 45 of their 71 season points coming on home ice. In the playoffs, the Islanders were 6-3 on home ice with two of those wins being series-clinching games, and one of the remaining four forcing a crucial seventh game. Now with a better and bigger arena, the Islanders should be able to replicate that success.

The Layout of the Building

UBS Arena has a lot of amazing features to please both fans and players, but what features benefit the action on the ice? The shape of the arena is very similar to the Islanders’ long-time home, Nassau Coliseum. It has a large lower bowl with very steep seats. The low roof will allow the sound in the arena to bounce off the ceiling and create a loud and electric atmosphere just like in the Coliseum. UBS Arena will feature a 45 HDR Capable LED screen which is around four times larger than the one at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders’ 2021-22 Schedule

Due to the pandemic, construction for UBS Arena was delayed for some time. The NHL season starts on October 12th, so the Islanders had to figure something out. They will begin the season on a 13-game road trip until November 20th. The Islanders are a strong team on the road so it should not be a problem for them. They get streaky at home and now have to make up those missed home games. The NHL gave the Islanders a few four and five-game homestands to make up for the lost time on Long Island. If everything goes well, the Islanders could start the season strong, come into those homestands on a hot streak, and it may benefit the Islanders in their chase for their fifth Stanley Cup.

John Smark