GRAND OPENER: Cup Champs at Islanders on Oct. 3
Tavares to make NHL debut against Crosby and Co.
4:05 pm - Welcome to the NHL, John Tavares. And to the league office, the Islanders thank you for the heaven-sent gift.
Point Blank has learned that the Islanders will open the 2009-10 regular season against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, October 3 at 7:00 pm at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
In a crowded New York sports landscape, count on the historic debut of Tavares and visit from Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Billy Guerin and the rest of the Pens being among the hottest tickets in town.
So hot, you can be certain Oct. 3 will be utilized as the primary lure for partial season ticket packages. Last I checked, the phone number for Steve Beisel and some of my old friends in the ticket office was still 1.800.882.ISLES.
The regular season schedule is expected to be released later this week. The Oct. 3 date with the Penguins has been rumored for a while now. Some fans contacted us via email to let us know that’s what the Islanders’ ticket sales office has been whispering. The home opener has been discussed on Islandermania.
Today, we confirmed that the Oct. 3 match with the Penguins at the NVMC is on the final draft of the NHL schedule. Over-the-counter tickets are not on sale yet, but the islanders could sell this game out tomorrow in an hour if they wanted to.
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ADDENDUM at 5:50 pm - The reason why this is good for the NYI is that demand for the opener goes from hot to boiling. Tavares vs. the Panthers on Oct. 3 would sell out, but at nowhere near the demand of Islanders vs. Penguins. This is now the biggest ticket in an uncertain season. Tavares or not, if the NYI struggle as most will predict, games aren’t selling out in January.
It’s way too early to make assumptions about an Islanders mega-boon at the box office. Even if JTmania meets my projection of 2,000 additional season ticketholders, the team would then have around 10,000. Islanders-Penguins on a school/work night in November without a special deal does not = 16,297 paying full price.
As far as national TV in the U.S. goes, NBC doesn’t start its coverage til New Year’s. Versus, bless them, is Versus. The Islanders will make their international imprint when they become a better team.
Might as well start the season as grand as you can. As I wrote, this game will be the bait, the biggest draw by far in many partial plans…CB
Here’s Sean Leahy’s take on Puck Daddy. Comments.
58 Responses to “GRAND OPENER: Cup Champs at Islanders on Oct. 3
Tavares to make NHL debut against Crosby and Co.”
Please Wait
hopefully i can get my hands on one of these tickets
Can’t wait for this season got season tickets baby let’s go isles
This is gonna be one of the most insaneeeee home openers in years…..and for once the NHL is gonna give the Isles some much needed attention….PS…if i cant get my tickets off from the box office i m going to get them off of stubhub…i dont care how much i will have to pay
The best team in the league vs. the worst team in the league. Does that happen every year? Just curious…
That should be a heck of a game. May have to make the trip from Knoxville to see that one.
Paul
one of the main reasons i wanted tavares was so we can get the national spotlight…and we are getting exactly that…only if snow knew that he needs someone to protect JT
Wow! The Isles are actually opening the season at home. How long has it been since that last happened?
Feels good to know Ive been locked in to my seats since 1990 baby!!!!!!!! That should be an AWESOME game!! Cant wait!
awesome!!! the nhl shows the isles some love. it is very rare for the isles to open up at home. hopefully this is on vs. i would think it would be.
Versus doesnt broadcast hockey games on saturdays, they only do mondays and tuesdays
Okay Islanders fans remember what I said during the summer “Take one game at at ime and we will see the difference amd we will part of the hunt for the CUP this year .” And of course keep the faith of the team.
I don’t understand. Can someone explain to me why this is a heaven-sent gift from the NHL? NBC won’t be broadcasting, and I do not think Versus broadcasts Saturday night games. We would have sold out the home opener anyway, so I do not understand why this is a big deal.
usually the home opener is mid October, what a great time to open the season at home. JT’s official NHL debut in front of the hometown crowd is phenomenal.
Steve Beisel Rules!
He tried to get my company to buy season ticket for 2 or 3 years. Because of his hard work and patience we finally did.
But then came the “Lockout” and we got rid of both our Islanders and Rangers tickets.
0-1.
Isles practically NEVER open at home - how great is this?!?
So great! The league actually showing the Isles some love. .
Just got very excited for a hockey game -in the middle of the summer - that is 3 months away!
At least when we are all walking out of the Coliseum after a 6-1 drubbing, we can all officially start the Taylor Hall watch.
Looks like the debbie downers have already taken hold of this thread *cough*
You going to have your beer ready to throw debbie downers? Over under when you start… end of first shift?
Mikey (11): The Islanders always seem to open the season on the road, this time they will be at home. I think thats really cool, its probably why there are others who are psyched, too.
I havent seen the Islanders preseason schedule yet either, but from a few of the other teams who have already released their games I know of these three:
9/14 Canucks vs. Islanders - Terrace in northern B.C.
9/16 Oilers vs. Islanders - Rexall Place 7pm
9/20 Oilers at Islanders at Saskatoon Credit Union Centre 7pm
And I saw that the Isles do not play the Rangers in preseason once again, unfortunately.
Why is this a big deal CB? The home opener sells out anyway. I’m sure the Isles would rather have the home opener against the Flames or Wild or somebody they would normally never get a big crowd for. This game wont be on ESPN, VS, or NBC. Why is this a big deal? The fact that TSN in Canada may show this game earlier in their highlights than normal hardly means much to the Isles.
My question is - what will the opening video be? Will it be all the young guys and this home grown stuff or will it be on the lines of The Lighthouse? Then we need a new and GREAT goal song because I want to be hearing it over and over again after JT lights the lamp.
CB, do you have any word on the rest of the schedule? Didn’t the league change the format this year that every opposing conference team visits your home arena once and we would travel there?
Why is this a big deal? The home opener sells out anyway. I’m sure the Isles would rather have the home opener against the Oilers or Thrashers or somebody they would normally never get a big crowd for. This game wont be on any major network. Why is this a big deal?
Well ya’ll better go see Tavares and Co. then because according to Logie’s blog today the roster is 99% complete and Snow has no intention of adding any size and toughness on the defense and might or might not add an enforcer. Since he still doesn’t have a heavyweight for Bridge it just shows you it isn’t part of his philosophy even if it is part of the rest of the NHL’s. What a load of crap we have to keep watching all these softies and he refuses to fix it despite all of his and Gordon’s empty words. He fixed the goalie problems in a summer, even better with Poulin in the last year but the rest of it nope.
So when the Isles play Boston Wrecker will fight one of them and then the remainder of Chara, Bitz, Lucic, Thorton etc will beat the crap out of Witt, Jackman, Hunter, Tavares, Okposo.
Once again folks it’s open season on the Isles because Snow is a stubborn jackass who is again a few years behind on how the game is being played.
Catch Tavares early because he’s gonna miss some games this year after teams take advantage of him. Don’t worry though because Trent Hunter will then jump the guy and take a beating as well. Which is Snow and Gordon will tell you was the Isles protecting their guys. JOKE!!!!!!
Yawn. Wake me up if this team acquires someone who will help them not get their backsides handed to them on Oct 3.
I can’t believe it! We’re opening up at home? I think this is only the 4th time (in 38 years). Maybe things are looking up!
open video is going to be “MEET ME AT THE MOSOLUEM” b/c Kate Murray wont do nothing by then.
Im very pump. yeah what is it with all the negative comments on team.
Expectation is isles do nothing. Watch they suprise. Healthy DP, 30 Goals from Okposo, Hunter and Tavares, 20G from Bergie, Nielsen, or Bailey. and suddenly isles will suprise.
yes!
lets go islanders! lets make the coliseum rock!
Spartiarti - I would expect three 20 goal scorers out of that group….Okposo, Bergenheim and one player whose name rhymes with Bavares.
Hopefully it’s 100% Isles fans in the stands and not bandwagon-er Pens fans
Well I guess the penguins start the season off 0-1…JT get a hat trick…at least I can dream can’t I…
Wow. I think this is the first time in like 15 years the Islanders open the season at HOME. Hey CB, can you verify this? Hmmm, Isles draft JT then get a season opener at home for the first time in over a decade AND against the Champs…coincidence???
hey number 22 ….since when does the free agent signings end on 7/14… dont gotta be the first to jump on a guy whos gonna spend more time in the box then on the ice
what a start to the season
if the league really wanted to do the NYI a favor they’d have the panthers or another non marquee team play them on opening night. Isles will sell lots of tickets when the pens are here anyway. obviously they’ll sell out opening day. so it would make more sense to have a non marquee matchup for the first game because that’s going to sell out anyway.
though i suppose I am not taking into consideration the media attention this matchup will garner. heck, even in canada they’ll be talking about this game.
The Isles last opened the season at home in 1998-1999 against the Penguins. A 4-3 loss. Before that was the memorable opener in 94-95 when Ziggy scored twice in a 2-1 win vs. the Panthers.
Too bad it won’t be a NBC game, maybe a Versus game though
JT hat trick, KO hat trick and yup DP gets a hatty in the home opener as well.
I hope that great publcity is generated by the LI media as well as the national media for the JT and the Isles vs Crosby Malkin and the cup champions. This matchup was well planned by the league not for just the obvious reasons but because they want the Islander franchise to remain on the Island. The league and bettman in particular is close to Wang. Whether you like Bettman is not important. I think that this is good news for the Lighthouse. I think we should all be very encouaged by this news and not get hung up by the fact that openning nites are usually sellouts.
updated at 5:50 pm with my thoughts on why this is primarily a very good thing and why some of you may be over-rating what the NYI’s attendance will be this season…CB
whats with all the people saying all this negative stuff!? LETS GO ISLANDERS!!!
The question is where will Tavares play-wing or center? 1st or 2nd line?
What’s with all the negativity here? We will get a tough guy. We have plenty of time to get someone before the season starts. CB, I agree, This is now a smoking ticket and keeps the buzz on the Isles. Isles-Panthers would be ho-hum.
Enough with the constant negativity already. Some Islander players must look at this site and get sick. Getting bashed for for a game that did not even take place yet. Nice support for the kids there!
@20, The instrumental version of Nickelback’s Burn it to the ground I think should be a keeper, and I think the Islanders agree with me. Everyone should really go listen to “Burn it to the ground” so you know when to “hey!”
But Nickelback blows, even if Josh Bailey likes them.
Why cant we go back to goal song of 2001-02, much better.
Lets Go Islanders, 3 - 1 over pens, they will not be able to hear anything in our building.
hey #44 relax these guys are pro’s..if you are paying me stupid money to play hockey you can wake me up with a good morning a-hole phone call every day
Someone mentioned above me about the Islanders having a home opener against a team that doesn’t normally generate ticket sales. That would make sense. With all season openers….wouldn’t it?We saw it last year with St. Louis. It was a sellout regardless.
Then again, I’d like to see the Islanders face off against the Rangers for a home opener on both sides. That would be ideal for NY to start the seasons off. Why haven’t they done that actually????
Versus always shows the North American season openers. Last year, they had a double-header on Thursday Oct. 9. If Oct. 3 is the start of the NA schedule then it will most likely be televised by versus. But, like CB said versus is versus. But, maybe if we have a decent start we will have a game or two on NBC.
Honestly, who would know the goal song was Nickelback if someone didn’t say so? Chad Kroeger isn’t even in the song. I like the new goal song, and everyone is entitled to their opinion of whether they like it or not, but its odd to say one shouldn’t like the song because it’s a Nickelback instrumental.
Lets hope we play .500 hockey the first 10 games or so before the inevitable collapse.
when do tickets go on sale? I’m getting in line now.
Guys I think this scheduling as more to do with this possibly being shown as part of special bonus coverage on HNIC then any TV station in the US.
At any rate, when was the last time our Opener overshadows the other two teams in town? Maybe 1984???
I know the road back is long, but this should be a fun night. I do think people overestimate the attendance. I can see the buzz selling out Saturday games, but i don’t think our weeknight crowds will be large unless we stick some W’s
As much as I will hate it, I will totally understand if the Isles tie this game to some mid week mini plans.
The last time I can remember the Islanders opening at home was a forgettable 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islander officials cleaned out their offices and the game was so bad that there weren’t even opening ceremonies. There was a crappy rendition of the National Anthem, then the puck was suddenly dropped.
Ugggh… I wake up today all excited about the schedule coming out and see others have already had a peek at it. BOO HISS
this is an awesome game to open the season with.
JT!
Will DP even be on the roster?
Billy G coming back to the barn as a Stanley Cup champ.
J Bailey added some weight.
When will Tamps score his 1st goal?
Will Debo make the the team?
Who will protect JT?
Sidney Crosby & Gino.
Yeah lets hate on this on….
Get a life you haters!!!
Lets Go ISLANDERS!!!
8-0 Pens! I’ll try and get up there however! Lets Go Islanders and Lets Go Beer! To be very honest its going to take about as much alcohol as possible to watch this team for a few more years! Last year was high on the BAC scale. This year will be quite not as high but still bad!