What's behind the Islanders' early success at home this year?
Jean-Gabriel Pageau of the New York Islanders celebrates his third-period shorthanded goal against the Boston Bruins at Nassau Coliseum on Feb. 13, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Barry Trotz and his players have no real explanation for the Islanders’ early success at Nassau Coliseum as compared with road games, other than the general familiarity of being at home.
Game-day preparation is not much different. There are not yet fans allowed in either the Coliseum or the road buildings to create atmosphere.
But the Islanders enter Monday night’s home match against the Sabres – to start a stretch of nine of the next 10 at home – with a 4-0-1 record at the Coliseum. Overall, the 31 NHL teams had a combined home record of 138-88-34 entering Monday’s games.
"I just think there’s a comfort level being at the rink, the practice rink versus the opponent’s rink all the time or getting on a bus," Trotz said before Monday’s game. "That’s the only real difference. You have a little more freedom at home than you do on the road."
The Islanders are 4-6-2 on the road. They went 2-2-0 on their just-completed road trip, sweeping two games in Buffalo but losing twice to the Penguins.
The NHL has enacted enhanced COVID-19 protocols to navigate their teams through this shortened, 56-game regular season. On the road, players are limited to their hotel rooms when not at the arena or in team meetings. Team meals have been eliminated.
And because of the compacted schedule, morning skates also have become a rarity.
But that’s the same at home and on the road.
"Getting ready for games hasn’t really changed a whole lot," Cal Clutterbuck said. "The only thing that is different is you get two Q-Tips shoved up your nose in the morning [COVID-19 testing] and there’s no people in the stands when you play. That’s the two differences as far as our routine goes. How we prepare, that’s all the same."
"It’s not entirely too different than a non-COVID year," captain Anders Lee added. "Really, the testing and all the stuff is a little bit different and we’re not going to the rink as much on the road. But it’s just definitely nice to be at home in your own facility regardless of what’s going on. At this point we’re so used to it, things are changing pretty consistently. We’re used to all this stuff."
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is allowing venues in the state with seating for at least 10,000 to host fans at 10% capacity starting on Tuesday. The Rangers will have fans at Madison Square Garden starting on Friday. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday that indoor sports venues with capacities of at least 5,000 fans can begin hosting at 10% capacity as of next Monday, and the Devils immediately announced they will have fans at Prudential Center that night.
But there’s been no word yet from the Islanders on when fans might re-enter the Coliseum.
It would be logical to assume even having a small amount of fans at the Coliseum would give the Islanders more of a home-ice advantage. Then again, the Penguins improved to 7-1-0 at fan-less PPG Paints Arena after their two wins over the Islanders.
"I was thinking about that myself," Trotz said. "I don’t have an explanation for it. I think it’s just your comfort. You’ve got a little bit more freedom. I know our fans make a big difference to us and I know the same in Pittsburgh. That’s a tough building to go into and there’s no fans and it continues to be a tough building. I don’t have an answer for you."
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.
