Laurel Hollow's Marshall Warren plays his first home game for the Islanders at UBS Arena
Islanders defenseman Marshall Warren sets before a faceoff against the New Jersey Devils in the first period of an NHL hockey game at UBS Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Laurel Hollow’s Marshall Warren can finally claim to having played a game for the Islanders on Long Island.
“Super special,” Warren said after logging 14:24 with three shots in the Islanders’ 2-1 win over the Devils on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.
The 24-year-old rookie defenseman had been a healthy scratch for four home games over the course of his three NHL stints this season and Warren’s first three career games all came on the road.
He said about 30 friends and family, including his parents and sister, were in the sell-out crowd of 17,255.
Before the match, Warren was given the honor of reading the starting lineup to his teammates in the Islanders’ dressing room.
“That was cool, that was really cool,” Warren said. “All the boys loved it. It’s one of those things you remember.”
Warren, who logged a team-low 9:51 in Saturday’s 3-2 five-round shootout loss in Buffalo, likely has earned a chance to play a third straight game for the first time in the NHL. The Islanders next host the Rangers on Saturday after the NHL’s three-day holiday hiatus.
“He played really well,” coach Patrick Roy said. “He’s fast. He skates well. He sees the ice well. I really loved the way he played today. I feel like he’s playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of poise out there.
“I’m sure he was pretty nervous to play here tonight. This is his hometown.”
Warren was initially recalled from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport on Oct. 23 but was a healthy scratch that night against the Red Wings at UBS Arena. He made his debut with two assists in a 4-3 shootout loss in Philadelphia two days later and also played in Boston on Oct. 28 before being returned to Bridgeport on Oct. 31.
He was recalled again on Nov. 19 without drawing into the lineup, being a healthy scratch for home games against the Blues and Kraken on Nov. 22 and 23 before being returned to Bridgeport on Nov. 24. He was recalled again on Thursday and was a healthy scratch for the Islanders’ 4-1 loss to the Canucks at UBS Arena on Friday.
Warren grew up watching the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum and skating at their practice facility in East Meadow. He’s living at a hotel for now but copped to hanging out plenty at his parents’ house and doing laundry there.
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.
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