Rev. Stephen Donnelly raised a large photo of Al Arbour along the procession toward the altar. Arbour’s son, Jay, held his mom Claire’s hand as they walked behind Donnelly, and then came more family members. Several members of the Islanders’ family watched from the pews near the front.
The photo of Arbour on the ice at Nassau Coliseum was placed before the altar, next to two symbols of his work with the Isles — the Stanley Cup and the Jack Adams Trophy that honors each season’s top coach.
The memorial Mass for this Hall of Fame coach, who guided the Isles during their 1980s dynasty days of four straight championships and passed away at 82 last Aug.