ELMONT, N.Y. — The $1.1 billion UBS Arena delivered on its promise of being the state-of-the-art home the Islanders have long sought. That’s great for the franchise’s long-term outlook. Short term, things are a little murky as the team deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.
The Islanders, despite a makeshift lineup, were energized in christening their new home as Brock Nelson scored twice in the team’s best performance of late. Still, their losing streak grew to five games as the Flames won, 5-2, before a loud, sellout crowd of 17,255, the final score inflated by two empty-net goals.
The last-place Islanders (5-7-2), who opened the season with a 13-game road trip, have allowed at least four goals in each of the five losses and have been outscored, 24-6.
Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves for the Islanders while Jacob Markstrom stopped 34 shots.
Defensemen Adam Pelech and Andy Greene and left wing Anthony Beauvillier were added to the Islanders’ COVID-19 protocol list on Saturday, joining captain Anders Lee, Josh Bailey and Ross Johnston. Plus, Ryan Pulock (lower body) is out for four to six weeks.
Forwards Richard Panik and Andy Andreoff — both with NHL experience — and defensemen Grant Hutton and Paul LaDue were recalled from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport and all but LaDue dressed for the game.
Hutton and defenseman Robin Salo, called up on Thursday, were given the honor of a rookie lap at the rookie arena, becoming the first Islanders to skate in uniform in front of a crowd in the building.
Andreoff skated with Nelson and right wing Oliver Wahlstrom and Panik was on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s left wing along with Kyle Palmieri. Salo was paired with Scott Mayfield while Hutton skated with Sebastian Aho. Salo and Panik were both used on the power play.
The Islanders are scheduled to host the Maple Leafs on Sunday night.
Longtime Islanders observers had spotted the historical mirroring immediately that the Flames again were the opponent for an Islanders arena opening.
On Oct. 7, 1972, the Islanders and Flames (based in Atlanta), both new to the NHL, played the first game in each franchise’s history at Nassau Coliseum. The Flames also won that one, 3-2, in front of a crowd of 12,221.
"It’s a nod to everything, including practicality," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said on Friday after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at UBS Arena.
The Islanders had practiced at UBS Arena on Thursday while the Flames held their morning skate at the building on Saturday.
"Having just been here for a playoff series, I know how rowdy these fans can get," said Flames left wing Blake Coleman, who was a member of the Lightning the previous two seasons as they defeated the Islanders in the NHL semifinals en route to back-to-back Stanley Cups. "Any time you can open a new building and be a part of history, it’s pretty sweet. It’s just unfamiliar dressing rooms and things like that. It’s new. It’s fun."
The Islanders trailed 2-1 after a well-played first period marred only by Matt Martin’s turnover in the defensive zone that led to Brad Richardson’s goal to give the Flames a 1-0 lead at 4:05.
Andrew Mangiapane, deflecting defenseman Noah Hanifin’s shot from the left point on the power play, made it 2-0 at 13:18.
Mangiapane again deflected a blue-line shot by Hanifin for another power-play goal at 6:43 of the second period to give the Flames a 3-1 edge.
Nelson became the first Islander to score in their new home as he roofed a power-play shot at the crease off Panik’s feed from the left corner. Initially, Nelson’s goal was waved off on the ice as play continued. But that call was quickly reversed — the puck clearly hit the goal camera at the back of the net — and withstood a challenge from Flames coach Darryl Sutter.
The Islanders had gone 0 for 12 on the power play over their previous six games and were unsuccessful on their first three tries in the first period. In all, they went 1 for 6 with nine shots on Saturday.
Nelson then cut the deficit to 3-2 at 1:49 of the third period, swiping in an unassisted goal at the crease. He finished with a game-high six shots.
