Sights and Stories from Opening Weekend at UBS Arena

There's no place like home.
This past weekend, the New York Islanders opened their state of the art new venue, UBS Arena at Belmont Park - a milestone 30 years in the making.

From players, coaches, management, and staff, to Islanders co-owners Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky and Dewey Shay and of course, the passionate and faithful Islanders fanbase, the weekend was a special and unforgettable experience as a new era of Islanders hockey is officially underway.

TAKING IN THE SIGHTS

Doors into UBS Arena opened at 5 p.m. on Saturday night, but Islanders fans were lined up outside long before waiting for their turn to take their first steps into the Great Hall of UBS Arena.
The first impressions did not disappoint.
Upon entering, the fan gaze is immediately directed upwards towards the seemingly star-studded ceiling that resembles the iconic constellations of New York City's Grand Central station. A pair of vintage murals celebrating the legacy at Belmont Park rests above the staircase leading to the Main Concouse. The murals feature everything from Secretariat, the famed Triple Crown winner, to the Wright Brothers, a nod to the 1910 Aviation Tournament held at Belmont.
As fans checked in at security and meandered up the staircase, a string quartet played songs like "Come On Eileen" and "Come Together" in harmony. The latter song was especially fitting as this was the first time Islanders fans were able to come together for a home game this 2021-22 NHL season.

The vintage vibe of the exterior and main entrance ties into the architecture of the Islanders' neighbors in Belmont Park, with pane glass windows, exposed brick, wood panels, gold trim and intricate emerald green accents.
"They did such a great job of trying to protect the integrity of the history of this site with the Belmont racetrack," former Islanders captain Pat Flatley said of the exterior. "Could you imagine this goofy looking, brand new looking building here? It wouldn't fit. They really did a great job of making it look like this building has been here forever."
Inside, the concourses of UBS Arena feature an Islanders flair with polished white and navy brick, orange walls, and black and white imagery.
As overjoyed fans entered the building, waves of chants broke out from the passionate crowd. Everything from 'Lets Go Islanders!' to 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' to 'Woo! Woo!' were echoed. Fans laughed, hugged and cried tears of joy during those first steps, and that same energy didn't cease until the building was empty.
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FIT FOR THE OCCASION

As some of the first fans filed into the Great Hall, there was one who, in particular, was strikingly outfitted just for the occasion.
Louis DiNapoli was sporting a custom suit jacket decaled with blue and orange checkered squares of Islanders logos. DiNapoli ideated the initial design, and with some assistance from one of his close friends who creates costumes for Broadway shows, made the epic home-opener fit come to life.
To complete the full ensemble, he even had a blue and orange top hat, snazzy white gloves and a pair of sneakers that were Islanderized with blue and orange laces.
DiNapoli roamed through the concourse with an enthused grin as fans cheered him on and remarked at his tremendous outfit.
"I've been to every home opener since 1972. I was 16 when my dad took me," DiNapoli said. "I've been to every home opener and home playoff game since, but this one was a real occasion. It's unreal being here. Finally, we've got our own place. It's the future. We're home."

ONE BIG FAMILY

For many Islanders fans, the passion is not just a singular hobby, but rather a generational tradition passed on. That special bond was on full display as fans of all ages experienced the game with their family members.
Chris Garris and his son Tanner were roaming the concourse when they veered into the bowl to catch their first glimpse of the ice. It was a picturesque moment as Chris, wearing a No. 26 Patrick Flatley jersey, and Tanner, wearing a No. 13 Mathew Barzal jersey, stood side-by-side in awe scanning the horizon.
"I grew up going to games all the time with my dad and brothers," Chris said. "To now share this whole experience with my son and just kind of live it through his eyes too, it's priceless."

CONCOURSE FESTIVITIES

The concourse level is full of indulgent amenities and unique spots for Islanders fans to explore.
Atop the staircase fans migrated into the Islanders' brand new team store that is filled with a vast assortment of blue and orange gear fit for every fan.
Out in the concourse hallway, the walls themselves showcase intriguing visuals. Fans crowded to view a mural of franchise records and an Islanders Hall of Fame exhibit. For Season Ticket Members, there is a designated wall that displays each of their names. There is also a wall that showcases the Islanders all-time points leaders in franchise history.
"I'm never speechless, but I'm speechless right now," Susan Levy said. "There's so much to look at just when you walk in. The more I walk, the more there is! You could miss the game just looking around at everything."
Legends like Clark Gillies, Denis Potvin, Bobby Nystrom and Ken Morrow - who are members of the franchise's Hall of Fame - also greeted guests and sat at tables on the concourse level where they autographed pucks for fans.

ADD SOME DAZZLE

While the arena itself is designed with low ceilings to emulate that of the Coliseum, the stunning Daktronics video boards added a new element for Islanders fans.
Along with the new scoreboard is the ability to project images on the ice. That feature enabled the Islanders Game Presentation team to create a captivating video projection of player videos with blue and orange filtered hues over the entirety of the ice ahead of puck drop and before the team took the ice after each intermission.
While the Islanders fan base has no problem creating a deafening atmosphere, the surround-sound speakers are an added boost to an already intimidating atmosphere for opponents.

CUSTOM CEREMONIES

In honor of the historic opening night on Saturday, the Islanders paid homage to past, present and future with their pre-game ceremonies.
The Islanders played an in arena video tribute to Charles B. Wang, the former owner of the team and visionary for an arena to be built at Belmont Park. The crowd showed their appreciation for Wang's efforts to keep the team in Metro New York when the tribute was introduced by Hall of Fame broadcasters Jiggs McDonald. There was also a compilation of highlights that combined clips of the Islanders' teams through the ages leading up to present day. Later during the game, there were featured spotlight moments on the Arbour and Torrey families to honor legendary former Islanders Head Coach Al Arbour and General Manager Bill Torrey, who led the franchise to its four-straight Stanley Cups.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

While some new traditions are sure to arise in this untold era of Islanders hockey, it is only fitting that some of the old ones from the Coliseum have continued.
Last season's anthem singer, Nicole Raviv, returned for opening weekend to sing the national anthem ahead of puck drop. The packed arena duplicated the touching moment that went viral during last season's Stanley Cup Playoff run where the fans led the signing on the song midway through the anthem and then Raviv harmoniously joined back in to together finish the song.

IN THE CROWD

Among the crowd of Islanders fans were some notable attendees. The Islanders hosted everyone from former NFL Offensive Guard and current ESPN analyst, Damien Woody, to seven-time gold medal Olympic swimmer, Katie Ledecky, and actor and Isles fanatic, Kevin Connolly.

RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED

In Islanders' defenseman Scott Mayfield's words, the atmosphere from the crowd didn't differ from the electric buzz that became a staple of Nassau Coliseum.
From warmups, to the Islanders hitting the ice, to puck drop, to Brock Nelson's two goals and all the way to the sound of the final buzzer, the fans gave the Islanders - and UBS Arena - a proper welcome.
"We went from a Game 6 Semifinal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to this one," Mayfield said on Saturday. "The fans brought it."
Mayfield, who has been in the Islanders organization for 10 years, could appreciate what UBS Arena meant to Islanders fans.
"It's huge," Mayfield said. "We have a home now."