Sink or Swim: Next 10 Home Games Will Define Islanders Season

The New York Islanders and home ice had a connection that worked wonders in 2020-21. After the emotional divorce with Nassau Coliseum, their newest relationship with UBS Arena was somewhat shaky. It seems that both sides just needed extra dates before getting comfortable in one another’s presence.

Handling Hiatus: ‘This Isn’t a Vacation or a Break for Us’

Following the 3-2 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 1, the Islanders pushed their home point streak to five games, with points in seven of their last eight home contests. They have won their first two games of 2021, both coming on home ice.

A streak for the Islanders…shocker.

This is a streak the Islanders must build on to give themselves a chance for a playoff spot. As usual, the Islanders have put themselves in a situation where one miss-step could cost them the postseason.

For now, the streak is alive and there’s time to reflect, ponder and look ahead.

In the final season at Nassau Coliseum, the Islanders went 21-4-3 during the regular season and posted a 6-3-0 record in their long postseason run.

Points did not matter in the last game on Coliseum ice as Anthony Beauvillier forced a Semifinals Game 7 in Tampa.

CRAZINESS AT THE COLI! 🔥

Anthony Beauvillier OT winner! #ItsOn pic.twitter.com/nIyh9r7lqX

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 24, 2021

That goal would be the last moment for the Islanders on Nassau Coliseum ice as their new home in Belmont Park was scheduled to be ready by the start of the 2021-22 season.

Due to the pandemic, the arena did not finish on time and the Islanders were forced to start the season with 13 straight road games.

Over a month later the Islanders made their long-awaited debut at UBS Arena, but it was anything but spectacular.

There was no honeymoon phase as the Islanders dropped the first game on UBS, 5-2 to the Calgary Flames before they followed up that up with losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs (3-0), the New York Rangers (4-1), and the Pittsburgh Penguins (1-0) to start 0-4-0 in their new building.

Things got a bit better, as the Islanders collected their first points at home in overtime losses to the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks before another regulation loss (Dec. 2, Dec. 5), as they fell to the Nashville Predators in the dying seconds of a Dec. 9 contest.

An 0-5-2 start at home was underwhelming given their dominance on home ice in 2020-21.

The Islanders were outscored 21-9 over those seven games and were shut out twice.

It took eight games at home before the Islanders collected two points as they defeated the New Jersey Devils by a score of 4-2 on Dec. 11.

And that is when the home point streak began.

Having only played 12 games on home ice this season, that leaves the Islanders with 29 more home games to be played. It just so happens that 10 of the next 11 games are in front of the Islanders faithful.

Out of those 10 home opponents, four are against three division rivals (two against Philadelphia), who all currently sit ahead of Islanders in points, and also games played.

Although the point system does not change for wins against divisional opponents, the ability to pick up regulation wins is the only way to gain solid ground. Points are important but failing to pick up two strengthens the distance, as does an overtime loss.

Four of the remaining six home games on this stretch come against Western Conference teams, with two of the four ahead of the Islanders in the league standings.

The remaining two games are Atlantic Division members, one against former Islanders captain John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the other against a struggling Ottawa Senators franchise.

When the Islanders return to game action on Jan. 13, they will have a three-game homestand followed by an away game in Philadelphia before a seven-game homestand that leads into the “Olympic Break”.

The NHL and the NHLPA have announced they will try to rework the schedule so games will be played during the built-in break, with one being rescheduled on Tuesday.

With an abundance of home games left on the schedule, the Islanders will need to accrue as many points as possible. Although it is doubtful that home ice can be as dominant moving forward as it was back in 2020-21, it’s about building on each performance.

Everyone knows that streaks, whatever their length is, eventually come to an end. Streaks have been like oxygen for the Islanders, as they have defined the last couple of seasons. This season, the Islanders have already posted a seven-game point streak and an 11 game losing streak.

How long will this point streak at home last?

Like the owl in the Tootsie pops advertisement said, “The world may never know”.