Power outage at Prudential Center forces cancellation of Islanders-Devils preseason matchup
Fans wait in their seats during a partial blackout prior to the preseason game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders at the Prudential Center on October 7, 2021 in Newark. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
NEWARK – Traffic was miserable for the Islanders getting from Long Island to Prudential Center. But at least they finally made it.
What they didn’t get to do was play a game on Thursday night.
A power outage during warmups forced the cancellation of their preseason game against the Devils after the teams retreated to their dressing rooms and fans waited 50 minutes for official word.
The game will not be rescheduled. The Islanders conclude their preseason schedule against the Rangers on Saturday night in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
"Lighting in the northeast bank of the arena was unable to be restored," the Devils said in a statement. "In consultation with the Islanders and the NHL, it was determined that the playing conditions were unsuitable for players on both teams."
The warmups were nearly complete when the big scoreboard went blank, lights dimmed in the end of the arena the Islanders would have defended in the first and third periods and the public address system went silent.
Coach Barry Trotz had planned to play about 75% of the personnel expected to dress for the Islanders’ season-opener at Carolina on Oct. 14.
But the cancellation was a missed opportunity for those battling for roster spots. For instance, once and perhaps future KHL standout Anatolii Golyshev was slated to skate on Brock Nelson’s right wing along with Anthony Beauvillier.
The left-shooting forward has an intriguing offensive skill set but is a roster longshot vying against a group that includes Leo Komarov, Richard Panik, Ross Johnston, Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows.
The 5-9, 185-pound Golyshev, 26, was selected in the fourth round in 2016. But he didn’t come to North America to practice with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport until signing a one-year, two-way deal late last season upon termination of his KHL contract with Yekaterinburg Automobilst.
The Islanders have not formally announced a deal with Golyshev for this season. Conceivably, he could be in training camp on a professional tryout offer. If so – and the Islanders would not comment on Golyshev’s contract status – he could return to the KHL.
"Every day, you could probably say he might be the hardest working guy," Trotz said earlier in the day. "He is the most detailed player that I’ve ever had who doesn’t understand the language."
The power-outage issue was not a first for either the Islanders or Prudential Center.
On Dec. 12, 2018, the Islanders lost 3-2 to Vegas at Barclays Center after the start of the third period was delayed 16 minutes. In January, 2010, a power outage in the second period of a Devils-Lightning game at Prudential Center forced the game to be completed two days later.
Notes & quotes: Goalie Ken Appleby, defensemen Grant Hutton, Paul LaDue, Mitch Vande Sompel and Parker Wotherspoon and forwards Andy Andreoff, Cole Bardreau, Austin Czarnik, Otto Koivula and Dmytro Timoshov all cleared waivers and were assigned to Bridgeport.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
