Hockey in August? Yes please. 

After being delayed due to COVID-19 complications, the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship is getting underway this week, running from Aug 9-20 in Edmonton, AB.

August 7, 2020 - The Islanders eliminate the Florida Panthers 3-1 in the best-of-five Qualifying Round series with a 5-1 win in Game 4. 

The Islanders dominant effort was bolstered by a two-goal performance from Anthony Beauvillier and also scoring from Brock Nelson (1G, 1A), Mathew Barzal (1G, 1A) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Josh Bailey dished out two assists, while Semyon Varlamov made 24 stops on 25 shots in the series clincher. 

Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory

Beauvillier led the Islanders with five points (3G, 2A) in four games against the Panthers, while Pageau tied Beauvillier for the team lead with three goals. 

Every successful athlete has a "Turning Point" in his or her career.

Sometimes it's subtle and on other occasions it makes headlines.

What happened to Islanders rookie defenseman Denis Potvin on December 16, 1973 made headlines. Big-time. He later would look backward and call it "My Day of infamy." Also: "My Turning Point."

Frans Nielsen, the most successful Islanders shootout ace in team history, scored 42 shootout goals from 2006- 2016 with the Islanders. Nielsen is known for his trademark backhand, which led to multiple Islander victories over the course of his NHL career.

Nielsen made his NHL debut with the Islanders in 2007. After playing a few games but never having scored an NHL goal, he stepped up to the plate on February 13, 2007. He was the first player up in a shootout against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He used his trademark backhand shot, now coined the "Danish backhand" to score his first NHL goal.

August 1, 2020 - The Islanders defeat the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 1 of their 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying Round series, marking the team's first ever game in August. 

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Beauvillier scored for the Islanders, while Semyon Varlamov backstopped the victory with 27 saves. 

Video: Islanders grab 1-0 series lead vs. Panthers

The New York Islanders announced that they have partnered with Jackpocket, the leading third-party app in the U.S. providing a secure way to order official state lottery tickets, to order $50,000 in Mega Millions lottery tickets on behalf of all Full Season Ticket Members, suite holders, staff, and the Islanders Children's Foundation ("Islanders Group").

The Islanders placed their order, totaling 25,000 tickets, on the Jackpocket app for today's estimated $1.28 billion drawing, the second-biggest prize in Mega Millions history. The team will distribute net winnings among the Islanders Group or, if below $250,000 donate the full amount to the Islanders Children's Foundation.

When it comes to talking about an Islander who made the most out of what he had, Garry Howatt has to be Exhibit A.

At age 14, while living with his parents on a farm in Alberta, he suffered an epileptic seizure. From that day forward, the stickhandler who became known as "The Toy Tiger" had to control epilepsy with an assortment of meds to minimize further attacks.

More to the point he was determined to pursue his goal and become a pro hockey player.

July 29, 2020 - The Islanders defeat the New York Rangers 2-1 in an exhibition contest in the Toronto bubble, marking the franchise's first-ever game in July.

The Islanders' exhibition win was supported by goals from Anthony Beauvillier and former Islander, Devon Toews, while Semyon Varlamov made 19 saves on as many shots in 40 minutes of action and former Islander goalie Thomas Greiss made seven saves on eight shots in 20 minutes of play. 

Video: Beauvillier, Toews spur Islanders past Rangers, 2-1

The New York Islanders announced today that John MacLean has been named an Assistant Coach.

MacLean joins the Islanders organization after spending last season as an Assistant Coach with the San Jose Sharks and the three previous seasons (2017-2020) as an Assistant Coach with the Arizona Coyotes. He served as an Assistant Coach with the Carolina Hurricanes from 2011-2014 and New Jersey Devils from 2002-2009, winning the Stanley Cup in 2003.

July 26, 2020 - The New York Islanders landed in Toronto, the NHL's hub city for Eastern Confernce teams ahead of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

During that run, the Islanders reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1993 and spent a grand total of 55 days between the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles.