The Flyers' Cam Atkinson, right, and the Islanders' Scott Mayfield collide during the first period on Jan. 18, 2022, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
And . . . they’re off!
The Islanders at last have schedule clarity and are set to begin a sprint to the regular-season finish line by hosting the Coyotes on Friday night and Maple Leafs Saturday.
But in the spirit of their new neighbor, Belmont Park, the largest thoroughbred racing oval in America, this will be an unusually long sprint, full of back-to-backs, West Coast trips and other assorted obstacles.
The NHL’s revised schedule was released on Wednesday, including makeup dates for the Islanders’ nine postponed games – plus new dates for four others.