Team of Destiny or Team of Destruction? Which will it be?

In the spring of 1993 the Islanders were a tough team to figure.

They had defeated the nasty Washington Capitals in six opening round playoff games; yet some critics considered that a fluke.

Sept. 23, 2019 - Ground was officially broken at Belmont Park to begin construction of UBS Arena, the Islanders future home set to open for the 2021-22 season. 

The ceremony was celebrated by Islanders players, coaches, management and alumni, co-owner Jon Ledecky, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. 

"The Islanders belong on Long Island - and today we start building the state-of-the-art home this team and their fans deserve while generating thousands of jobs and billions in economic activity for the region's economy," Governor Cuomo said in a press release.

NewYorkIslanders.com and Ridgewood Savings Bank are spotlighting heroes who are helping their community! Nominate a community hero here!

While the coronavirus has affected everyone's lives to some extent, COVID-19 hits a lot closer to home for the Minniti family.

The pandemic tragically took the family's patriarch, as Anthony Minniti, a retired judge, passed away in March at the age of 71. It was an unexpected and devasting loss for the entire family, all the way down to two of his young grandchildren, (then) nine-year-old Michael and 13-year-old Madison. 

Sept. 21, 2011 - Mark Streit is named the 13th captain in team history.

Streit is the first Swiss native to captain an NHL team. The defenseman played for the Islanders from 2008-13 and served as captain from 2011-13. During his career as an Islander, the left-shot compiled 179 points (40G, 139A) in 286 games, the most points and games he'd amass with any of his four NHL teams (Isles, Montreal, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh) during his 12-year career. Streit won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017. 

Sept. 20, 2000: The Bridgeport Sound Tigers have one of the more unique monikers in hockey, so the question is often asked: what is a Sound Tiger and how'd the team get its name?

When it came time to name the newest American Hockey League franchise, it became clear that fans wanted a moniker that was indicative of not only the region, but the city as well. Thousands of entries poured into the front office through a 'Name the Team' contest conducted with the help of the Connecticut Post. 

Even as far as the New York Islanders went this season, getting to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, the end always seems to come a little too quickly. 

They were one of the final four teams left playing in 2019-20, but even making their first conference finals appearance since 1993 didn't take the immediate sting out of being on the wrong end of a handshake line with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

A playoff loss hurts every year, and given all that went into the NHL's Return to Play: the socially-distanced skates, the midsummer training camp and seven-week sequester in Toronto and Edmonton, away from families and newborns, there were a lot of extra sacrifices made along the way. Head Coach Barry Trotz said he was proud of how much his team and their families committed for the run.

Eastern Conference Final Game 6
Tampa Bay 2, Isles 1 (OT)
Tampa Bay wins best-of-7 series, 4-2
Anthony Cirelli banked the winning goal off the post and then off the back of Semyon Varlamov's skate at 13:18 of overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Islanders with a 2-1 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

The most successful Islanders season in 27 years met and abrupt and unsatisfying end in Edmonton, AB, as the Isles lost 2-1 in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final. 

Anthony Cirelli delivered the heartbreaking dagger at 13:18 of the extra frame, putting a shot off the post, along the goal line, off Semyon Varlamov's skate and in. It was a sour result both in terms of a tight game - in which the Islanders grinded their way to a 1-1 tie without their top defenseman - and the season, one that saw the Isles overcome scores of adversity to go as far as they had been since 1993.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

GAME 6 | 8PM | ROGERS PLACE

LIGHTNING LEAD SERIES 3-2

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The Islanders lived to see another game. Now they hope to see another.

Jordan Eberle scored the game-winner in double overtime of Game 5 to stave off elimination against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night. As a result, the Isles will look to try and even up their series to 3-3 in Game 6 on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET at Rogers Place. 

Johnny Boychuk's first game back in the lineup, was all heart. 

The fearless competitor injected the Isles lineup with his steady veteran presence and his infectious commitment to executing Islander hockey. He and his teammates staved off elimination from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final with their 2-1 double-overtime victory in Game 5.