There were no fans at Nassau Coliseum for the Islanders’ game against the Bruins on Thursday night and that will still be the case for the subsequent six home contests.
But just knowing fans will be back in mid-March, even at a limited capacity, was a boost to the Islanders.
"There’s something about the human spirit, the human emotion that you can’t replicate," coach Barry Trotz said before Thursday’s game. "It’s pure joy, it’s pure anger. It’s pure everything. It’s fellowship. It’s the event. It’s the buzz. There’s nothing that can replicate that."
New York state indoor sports venues with a capacity of at least 10,000 can now host fans at 10% of capacity.