by Sabrina Henriquez

On Saturday, October 14th, the New York Islanders had their season-opening game against the Buffalo Sabres. The Islanders played well and secured two points with a 3-2 victory over Buffalo. The Islanders felt a sense of achievement since they had not won on opening night since the start of the 2020-21 season when they defeated their rival, the New York Rangers, 4-0. 

Brock Nelson scored the opening goal in the first period. Nelson is a skilled center, and played his first game as an alternate captain that night! He is 32 years old and a fan favorite. The next day, Nelson celebrated his birthday with a victory, a goal, and an assist.

Kyle Palmeri was credited with the second goal of the game during the first period making the score 2-0 at 18:18. Palmeri is a 32 year old right winger. Nelson had the assist, shooting the puck to the net that bounced off Palmieri and Clifton’s skate, a 28-year-old on the Sabres.

After the Sabres scored two goals against the team’s starting goalie, Illya Sorokin, the second period didn’t look too good for the Islanders. The Buffalo goals were scored by Casey Mittelstadt and Jordan Greenway. The team did not play the best defense and acknowledged the need to work harder in the following period. The fans were getting worried, and the second period ended tied at 2. 

The third period was much better for the Islanders. The fans were on the edge of their seats unsure of who was going to win. Then the 32-year-old center, Casey Cizikas, scored the game-winning goal for their season opener! The arena was energized and all of the fans got up and cheered for the home team. 18-year-old rookie Zach Benson of the Buffalo Sabers, Casey Cizikas, and Brock Nelson were the game’s three stars.

Overall, the game was an enjoyable experience. I am excited to attend more Islanders games at UBS arena, and I’m looking forward to more Islanders’ victories this season. Hopefully, the team will be able to secure another spot in the playoffs this year and make a long playoff run.