For the first time since 2015, the New York Islanders played a game at Nassau Coliseum that mattered, and they came out on top thanks to longtime Coliseum hero Casey Cizikas’ game-winning goal midway through the third period.
Cizikas’ winner, on a great pinch around the net by Ryan Pulock (more on that decision below), completed the reversal of an 0-2 opening deficit and set up a raucous finish to the evening as the Isles held on for a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Safe to say, all the fans, players, coaches and media who looked forward to this return got exactly what they hoped for.