Trip to Seattle a homecoming for Islanders' Mathew Barzal

SEATTLE — Mathew Barzal grew up north of Seattle in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and played his junior hockey in Kent, Washington, about 20 miles south of the Emerald City, for the Seattle Thunderbirds.

The Islanders’ top playmaker is tightly associated with Seattle, and his first game at Climate Pledge Arena against the expansion Kraken on Tuesday night to start a five-game road trip is being treated as a major homecoming.

"It’s cool coming back here," Barzal said after the Islanders’ optional practice on Monday at the arena. "I think people sometimes don’t know the full story. The Seattle Thunderbirds, where I played, was probably 25 minutes out of the city. We came down here every once in a while.

"Tomorrow night, there’s probably going to be a bunch of Thunderbirds fans," added Barzal, who helped lead the Thunderbirds to their lone Western Hockey League title in 2017. "The whole Seattle Thunderbirds team is coming and the whole staff. Honestly, it’s just awesome to be back and it’s just that feeling you get when you have history in a certain spot."

Homecoming aside, it’s a crucial game and trip for the Islanders (18-20-7), who are 19 points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot and lost to the last-place Kraken, 3-0, at UBS Arena on Feb. 2.

"It’s going to be a really tough trip," coach Barry Trotz said. "There’s quality teams. We’re going to need consistency. I’d like us to not be trailing after the first period."

The Islanders — who have allowed the first goal in 11 of their last 12 games — originally were supposed to play in Seattle on Jan. 4 as part of a longer Western Canada trip. But that whole trip was postponed with limited attendance in the Canadian cities because of the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak.

So Monday finally was Barzal’s first chance to see Climate Pledge Arena, developed by the Oak View Group, which also worked on UBS Arena. The ingenious design had the original roof from the old KeyArena retained but a new facility built underneath it, dug down about 60 feet. One side is lighted by a giant window.

"I was telling Matty Martin on the bench, it is unbelievable," said Barzal, who did not skate in the optional practice. "The standing area up top with the light shining through. It’s similar seating and the way it’s built to UBS. I love the Seattle highlight with the light coming in. It makes it a little outdoorsy with the big window there and people can see through."

Notes & quotes: Goalie Sem-yon Varlamov was cleared from COVID-19 protocol and will dress as the backup as Ilya Sorokin makes his seventh straight start on Tuesday. Varlamov worked with Oliver Wahlstrom, Ross Johnston and defenseman Andy Greene on Monday . . . Goalie Cory Schneider was returned from emergency loan to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport . . . Trotz said he expects Wahlstrom to play after missing Sunday’s loss with an upper-body issue.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

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.