The story behind it:
NewYorkIslanders.com: How did you acquire this mask?
Karen McSweeney:I can't even remember what game it was. I think it was a Halloween game in 1992, and I think his birthday is the next day. When you walked into the arena, you got a mask of half of Al Arbour's head with his glasses and I think they said over the loudspeaker they were going to sing Happy Birthday and they wanted everyone to wear the mask at some point during the game.
It was early November, so Christmas was coming and it was laying around my house and when I put up the tree, I just threw it inside the tree and then packed it away with the ornaments. Every year I'd take it out and after five or six years, it kind of became a tradition. We'd hide him on the tree and he looked like he was peeking out. When someone would come to the house, people would - and still will - ask "Is that a man's head on the top of your tree? Or in your tree?" but if it's an Islander fan, they'll ask "Is that Al Arbour on your tree?" and that's how I know who is an Islander fan when they come to my house.
NYI: How have you preserved it/been able to keep it for so long?
KS:One year I started thinking about it and panicking and had to put it in a safe place. I brought it to STAPLES to get it laminated. I figured that would keep it safer, but I wasn't in Hicksville, or Hempstead, I was in Hudson, NY, so I go in with this half-a-face and the attendant looked at me like I was crazy. I cut around the laminate and it became the tree topper on my second tabletop tree. Now it's been almost 30 years and I want to pass it down to my son, who is as big an Islander fan as I am. It's one of my most cherished items I own. Not just Islanders stuff, but everything. I love that thing.
NYI: It's really unique, have you ever come across another one of these?
KS:Every once in a while I'll go looking on eBay and it's the most bizarre search: Al Arbour + facemask + birthday + Modell's and nothing ever pops up. I always wonder if anyone else saved theirs from that game and if anyone out there has it. I don't know what made me save it, it was lucky that it was that time of year, it was Christmas and I kept it and it's just part of every single Christmas in my house.
NYI: Why do you love this piece? Why do you think you have such a connection to it?
KS:I loved Al Arbour. I've been an Islander fan since the early 80s, like the second Cup on I've been a crazy Islanders fan and have always loved Al Arbour. Probably my favorite game I've ever gone too was the game he came back to coach to get one last win. He's so iconic and walking in the room and seeing Al Arbour on the tree, I know who it is and it's fun when other people recognize him. It was a stupid, little giveaway at a game and it became part of my family almost since it's always been in our Christmas tree. We used to have a ceremony when my son was younger, we'd put the Al Arbour on the tree and it became language we used in our house, which isn't used in any other house, but if you're an Islander fan, you get it.
