THE COLISUEM
The last time the Pens played in Nassau Coliseum was on Jan. 16, 2015. It was a very forgettable night as Pittsburgh lost 6-3 while allowing former Islander Kyle Okposo to score 4 goals.
The Pens return to the newly renovated Coliseum - now referred to as NYBC Live - tonight against the Islanders. And the new building feels a lot different. Black seats fill the bowl. A brand-new scoreboard hangs above the ice. Fresh coats of paint cover every surface. And even the Pens' locker room used to be the Islanders' home locker room.
"It's changed a bit, but there are a lot memories playing here," captain Sidney Crosby said. "It's different being at this end, this was where the home team was. It's cool to be back here. It's always been a great atmosphere playing here."
Perhaps the most memorable moments in this building - at least for this current group of Pens - occurred during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs when the Pens and Islanders met in the opening round. Pittsburgh prevailed in the series, 4-2, while also posting a 2-1 mark on Long Island. Both of those wins occurred in overtime.
"It was a pretty intense series," Crosby recalled. "Some wild overtime games. That sticks out the most."
Former Pens blueliner Brooks Orpik scored the series-clinching goal in overtime of Game 6. It was a moment that stood out to defenseman Kris Letang.
"When we won that playoff series. It was a fun series to be in," Letang said. "Really loud. There were a lot of emotions. That moment."
Letang, like everyone that played here before, was amazed at the building's transformation.
"It looks a lot better than it used to. They did a good job," he said. "Even outside of it. It looks a little more modern. It looks nice."
HOMECOMING
Winger Zach Aston-Reese grew up in the Long Island area, though he grew up a Penguins fan. He attended a Pens-Islanders game when he was a teenager and he marveled at the building's new look.
"Even the outside looks different. It looks like a spaceship now," Aston-Reese said. "Inside is really nice, too."
Aston-Reese first stepped on the Nassau Coliseum ice as a squirt, playing during an intermission session of an Islanders' game. And now he's back as an NHL player, and will have quite the audience with which to share the experience.
"To be back here playing in the NHL is exciting," he said. "I do have a lot of family coming tonight. It's exciting that they get to see me in the home environment."
SKATE NOTES
* The Pens used the following workflow…
Guentzel-Crosby-Kessel
Pearson-Malkin-Sheahan
AstonReese-Brassard-Rust
Wilson-Grant-Dea
Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Oleksiak
Pettersson-Johnson
Riikola-Ruhwedel
* Injured players Matt Murray (lower-body), Matt Cullen (lower-body) and Patric Hornqvist (upper-body) all worked prior to the team's morning skate. Murray and Cullen (non-contact) remained for the skate, while Hornqvist left. All are progressing, according to head coach Mike Sullivan, though none will be in the lineup tonight.
