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What began as a season full of promise abruptly ended last night during the New York Islanders seventh game in round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Washington Capitals. Their playoff dreams ended the same way they have every year since 1993. Suffering a 2-1 loss on Washington ice quickly put to rest the hopes that the Isles could raise the cup one last time at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, providing the fans with a proper sendoff before they call Brooklyn “home” this fall.
There is no denying the Isles started out the 2014-15 seasons as one of the hottest teams on the ice and since day one, they had everybody in New York talking. Struggles they faced towards the end of the season cost them home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which if they had it, it could have worked out in their favor.
With the acquisition of Jaroslav Halak, who ironically happened to be from the Capitals, signing forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolay Kulemin, and landing defensemen Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk, the season was different.
Though the series loss was an upset, this was the best season they’ve had in over 20 years, racking up 101 points, 3 less than the 104 they held in the 1983-84 season.
Fort Neverlose, where the Islanders played for 43 years, will never be home again and a new era will begin in Brooklyn where the Isles can continue their legacy and open a new chapter, one that could end with bringing a Stanley Cup playoff series or the Cup to their new home.
The Islanders are disappointed for themselves, but not as disappointed as they are for the fans who they feel they have let down, but they know very well the fans have unconditional and ongoing support for their team.
Game six on Saturday, April 25th was the last game the Islanders would play at Nassau Coliseum, otherwise known as the “barn” to the fans.
