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The Islanders’ long journey home to UBS Arena

A view of the scoreboard at UBS Arena at Belmont Park on Sept. 30, 2021. (Photo credit: Howard Schnapp)

The Islanders begin the 2021-22 NHL season on a franchise-record 13-game road trip while the finishing touches are put on their new home, UBS Arena at Belmont Park.

From the season opener in Carolina on Oct. 14 to the home opener on Long Island on Nov. 20, the Isles’ journey will take 37 days and nearly 15,000 miles traveled.

Oct. 14 at Carolina

Mathew Barzal’s top line with a healthy Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri was dangerous all game. But the Islanders weren’t careful enough with the puck, strong enough defensively or good enough on special teams in a 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes before 18,680 at PNC Arena in the season opener.

Team record: 0-1-0, 0 points

Miles traveled: 526.3

Days until the home opener: 37

While you’re away

The ice was put down and painted at UBS Arena on Oct. 14.

Oct. 16 at Florida

Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves, including 14 in the third period, but allowed five goals thanks to bad defensive play as the Isles fell to the Panthers, 5-1, at FLA Live Arena. Oliver Wahlstrom’s unassisted power-play goal in the third period spoiled Sergei Bobrovsky’s shutout attempt.

Team record: 0-2-0, 0 points

Miles traveled: 1,312.6

Days until the home opener: 35

Oct. 19 at Chicago

Sorokin was brilliant in making 31 of his 39 saves over the first two periods, and Wahlstrom scored twice in the third period as the Islanders kept Chicago winless, 4-1, at United Center to earn their first victory.

Team record: 1-2-0, 2 points

Miles traveled: 2,675.8

Days til the home opener: 32

Meanwhile, back home

The Stanley Cup banners and retired Islander jerseys were raised to the rafters at UBS Arena.

Oct. 21 at Columbus

Patrik Laine’s blistering shot from the right circle at 1:49 of overtime gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 win over the Isles at Nationwide Arena. The Islanders failed to capitalize on three power-play chances, another strong outing from goalie Ilya Sorokin and an odd-man opportunity in overtime.

Team record: 1-2-1, 3 points

Miles traveled: 3,032.2

Days until the home opener: 30

Oct. 23 at Arizona

Ilys Sorokin made 26 saves for his fourth career shutout and his first of the season, preserving it by turning aside Nick Schmaltz from in tight with less than a minute to play in the third period of the Isles’ 3-0 win over Arizona. The Isles got goals from Cal Clutterbuck, Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier in the victory.

Miles traveled: 4,953.4

Days until the home opener: 28

Oct. 24 at Vegas

Ilya Sorokin had his second shutout in as many nights and Josh Bailey moved past Bobby Nystrom into 10th place on the franchise scoring list as the Isles defeated the Golden Knights, 2-0.

Miles traveled: 5,233.2

Days until the home opener: 27

Oct. 30 at Nashville

The Islanders went 2-for-4 on the man advantage, the penalty kill went 4-for-4 against the Predators’ power play and Ilya Sorokin stopped 21 shots, but Oliver Wahlstrom and Beauvillier were stopped in the shootout as the Isles fell to the Predators, 3-2, at Bridgestone Arena.

Miles traveled: 7,027.2

Days until the home opener: 21

Nov. 4 at Montreal

Brock Nelson’s career-high four-goal performance, including a late empty-netter, another strong outing from Ilya Sorokin and three assists from local product Anthony Beauvillier highlighted the Isles’ 6-2 win over the Canadiens at Bell Centre.

Miles traveled: 8,119.6

Days until the home opener: 16

Nov. 6 at Winnipeg

Ilya Sorokin notched his third shutout of the season in the Islanders’ 2-0 win over the Jets at Canada Life Centre. Anders Lee and Brock Nelson scored for the Isles, who extended their point streak to seven games.

Miles traveled: 10,387.9

Days until the home opener: 14

Nov. 7 at Minnesota

Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves in his first action since June 25, but the Isles gave up two quick goals and two empty-netters to end their point streak at seven games and fell to the Wild, 5-2, at the Xcel Energy Center.

Miles traveled: 11,137.5

Days until the home opener: 13

Nov. 11 at New Jersey

The Isles couldn’t get anything going against Mackenzie Blackwood and continued to struggle on special teams as they fell to the Devils, 4-0, at Prudential Center in the closest they’ve come to playing a home game, both geographically and with the crowd split roughly 50-50 in its loyalties.

Miles traveled: 12,316

Days until the home opener: 9

Nov. 15 at Tampa Bay

A revamped lineup didn’t do much for the Islanders, who allowed a tying goal just 23 seconds after taking an early lead and went 0-for-3 with two shots on the man advantage in a 4-1 loss to the defending champion Lightning at Amalie Arena.

Miles traveled: 13,435.3

Days until the home opener: 5

Nov. 16 at Florida

The road trip is over, but the Isles are limping home after suffering their fourth straight regulation defeat, this one a 6-1 loss to the Panthers courtesy of four first-period goals.

Miles traveled: 13,686.5

Days until the home opener: 4

Now arriving…

The LIRR’s new Elmont station, about three-quarters of a mile north of UBS Arena, officially is renamed Elmont-UBS Arena Station on Nov. 17 after the MTA board unanimously approved a 10-year, $1.75 million deal giving naming rights to arena developer New York Arena Partners.

The home opener: Nov. 20 vs. Calgary

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Miles traveled: 14,960.2

The last season

In 1972, the New York Islanders were born. They played their home games at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale for more than 40 years. The 2014-15 NHL season was their last season on Long Island before the franchise moves to Brooklyn and the Barclays Center. This is the story of their final season.

Leaving LI: Isles' last season at Nassau Coliseum

DOCUMENTARY

Leaving LI: Isles' last season at Nassau Coliseum

After more than 40 years of playing their games at Nassau Coliseum, the Islanders moved to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the 2015-16. But “the old barn” rocked in its final season. Newsday followed Islanders employees, fans and players throughout the emotional ride during their last season at the Nassau Coliseum.

Past Islanders episodes

Painting the ice

Episode 1

Painting the ice

John Cirola discusses what goes into painting the ice at Nassau Coliseum in the premiere episode of Newsday's season-long series chronicling the Islanders' final season on Long Island.

New beginnings

Episode 2

New beginnings

The Islanders won their final home opener on Oct. 11, and in the first two weeks of the 2014-15 NHL season, they went 4-2 and introduced their new owners.

Loyal fan

Episode 3

Loyal fan

As the Islanders began a five-game road trip on the West, Syosset resident Bob Lehman shares his story about how he became a fan of the team since its inception in 1972.

Fast start

Episode 4

Fast start

The Islanders are off to their best start in 27 years. With almost a quarter of the season done, the Isles are right on the heels of the first place Penguins.

From Billy to Tavares

Episode 5

From Billy to Tavares

The Islanders are enjoying some early success this season with 18 wins in their first 25 games. They are hoping captain John Tavares can bring them back to the top of the NHL the way goaltender Billy Smith helped lead the the team to four straight Stanley Cups in the 1980s.

Battling through

Episode 6

Battling through

Even though the Islanders are on a record-setting run by winning 21 of their first 31 games, this season hasn’t been without some ups and downs.

Zamboni

Episode 7

Zamboni

Thomas Walters, of Terryville, explains the ins and outs of his icy job as the Islanders' Zamboni driver. The Isles finished the 2014 calendar year with a win against Winnipeg, putting them in a tie with Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division.

The Rangers rivalry

Episode 8

The Rangers rivalry

Islanders vs. Rangers has been one of the NHL’s most heated rivalries for more than 40 years. It never matters where each team is in the standings. These games always have a playoff feel not only for the players, but also for the fans as well.

Bossy and the blizzard

Episode 9

Bossy and the blizzard

As the Islanders head into the second half of the season leading the Metropolitan Division, they will have to overcome many obstacles off the ice such as an injury to Kyle Okposo and a blizzard that hit Long Island. On the ice, the Isles make sure to honor their history whether its good or bad.

Carkner and the LI Blues

Episode 10

Carkner and the LI Blues

Matt Carkner, an Islanders defenseman coming off back surgery, dedicates some of his off-ice time to working with the Long Island Blues, a special needs youth hockey team. He gives the kids tours of the Islanders’ locker room at Nassau Coliseum, organizes meet-and-greets with other Islanders and helps teach the fundamentals of the sport.

Nystrom

Episode 11

Nystrom

Bobby Nystrom played 14 seasons for th Islanders and scored arguably the biggest goal in the franchise's 43-year history. Newsday sat down with the former Islander great to reminisce about the team's glory days of the 1980s.

Super fan

Episode 12

Super fan

The Islanders have their share of fanatics. Add Patrick Dowd, aka 'The Sign Guy,' to that group. As the Isles take the ice at the Coliseum each game, you can see the Bay Shore resident standing by the rink entrance with a supportive sign.

Junior Islanders

Episode 13

Junior Islanders

The Junior Islanders are made up of elite Pee-Wee level players on Long Island selected through a tryout. They represent the New York Islanders at the prestigious Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament in Quebec held each February.

Pond hockey

Episode 14

Pond hockey

In North Babylon the Anastasio family, who are huge Islanders fans, can’t wait for the cold weather to come and freeze over their backyard pond so they can start playing ice hockey morning, noon and night.

Gillies

Episode 15

Gillies

As the Islanders start their playoff run, former Stanley Cup champion Clark Gillies talks about his great memories at Nassau Coliseum in the 1980s and how he would love to drink out of Lord Stanley's cup one more time.

The final thaw

Episode 16

The final thaw

Ice painter John Cirola and Zamboni drivers Thomas Walters and Kevin Capobianco participate in one final 'ice out' at Nassau Coliseum, where employees of the arena break apart and melt the rink's ice.

Down come the banners

Epilogue

Down come the banners

Workers at the Nassau Coliseum took down the banners, including the ones from the Islanders’ Stanley Cup seasons, from the rafters on May 8, 2015 as part of the process of renovating the arena.