nicolekristen asked:

choked up at what you wrote about the islanders, absolutely love it <333

Thank you so much <3 I’m glad you liked it :)

The 2011-2012 New York Islanders season The first best friend I ever had once told me that she always looked around the classroom on the last day of school in our elementary days, just to remember the way the room looked one last time before never spending a day in that same room again. At the time, that concept of looking around a classroom one last time sounded so silly to me because I had spent every school day sitting in that classroom for one whole school year. But, with that skeptical thought in mind, I looked around my classroom on the last day of first grade and studied that room as if it were my final test of that year. I still remember how the walls looked sad, baring less color and vibrancy compared to how they had appeared covered in educational posters and youthful artwork all year. I remember the chalkboards were so clean, almost too clean, and the single back window was open to welcome summer while the front door was open for us to leave and say our goodbyes to that school year. The day leading up to the last New York Islanders 2011-2012 season home game felt like a last day of school. Jessica and I had said our goodbyes to the friends we made that season, goodbye to section 101 and the imperfect marks on the glass we looked through for warm-ups before the start of every home game, just like the seat handle to one of the seats said goodbye to the seat it had been attached to and fell to the Coliseum ground. We all laughed, and we joked, just like we always do, about how the place we love so much is falling apart and about how our lungs are probably lined with asbestos from breathing in the cool Coliseum air all these nights we&#8217;ve been spending here together. As I sat in section 211 of Nassau Coliseum, with someone I know I’ll be able to call my best friend until the very end, I remembered what my first best friend had told me. Although I know I&#8217;ll never forget, I studied the way the Coliseum looked one last time before the last New York Islanders home game of the 2011-2012 season came to an end. I looked at the scoreboard, which told me one last period remained, and it felt so nostalgic of the first game of the season. I remember I had wished there was more time remaining for the Islanders to make a comeback, and less time for the people booing in the stands to have to sit in their seats and watch a team already sporting the look of defeat on their faces. I remembered every game in between until I brought myself back to six months later: reality. I was presently sitting on the opposite side of the arena, wishing for more time for the people in the stands to watch a team that had more than enough time to proudly overcome their opposition in front of a home crowd (which they eventually did). The dull green empty seats outnumbered the small crowd, no different than the rest of the season, a season that felt more mature than the previous year. Those times I quickly reminisced could fill pages upon pages to amount to a storybook full of memories. The book would begin somewhere around the time Matt Martin walked behind Jessica and I on our way to the Marriott and called Jessica&#8217;s jersey beautiful, continue onto when Travis Hamonic&#8217;s mom was behind us in the Coliseum lobby and asked to take a picture of me to send to Travis, to when Travis’ brother stood behind us and we made fun of the songs the Coliseum played, just like how my friends and I couldn&#8217;t help but laugh at the choir of children singing &#8220;Dynamite,&#8221; and laugh at the way the Coliseum is slowly falling apart in comparison to how quickly such strong friendships have bonded together. Some moments brought those friendships closer together: thoroughly planning our foursquare check-in&#8217;s but not winning tickets, &#8220;Champions later?&#8221;, wondering how Travis Hamonic received all those phantom penalties, yelling about those non-calls, screaming when PA netted that goal that forced overtime but becoming speechless when the Leafs scored the overtime goal on Al Montoya, watching John Tavares emerge as a star and the evolution of Tavares Time, and wondering how an Islanders fan could possibly marry a Bruins fan at Nassau Coliseum, but Frans Nielsen rejected a referee&#8217;s marriage proposal. One of my favorite parts about an Islanders game day was how the car speakers blasted with The Early November&#8217;s music on the way to and from each home game. Jess and I obnoxiously sang along similarly to how we sang along to &#8220;Seven Nation Army&#8221; blasting through the busted Coliseum speakers, before every Islanders power play, hoping for our team to capitalize on the opportunity just like we capitalized on every opportunity to have a good time at Nassau Coliseum regardless of the outcome in the game. Jessica and I sat on the couches of the Marriott lobby one November night following an Islanders loss in overtime. We sat in silence, an unusual occurrence when we&#8217;re together, as a man walked past us and said, &#8220;Cheer up, your team is going to be good one day real soon.&#8221; We weren&#8217;t even upset about the loss, and we didn&#8217;t have to be told that our team is going to be a good team one day. We saw sporadic glimpses of hope this season, and I chose to believe this team will move in the right direction. Maybe they&#8217;ll move to a new arena, maybe I spent one of my last regular season NHL games at Nassau Coliseum and maybe that building will soon become just another memory. But I&#8217;ll always remember the way the Coliseum looked from my seat in section 211, all the laughs, the jokes, and the times that made me smile, and know that next season is just another chance for things to change, and for even better things to begin and take the place of what was, to me, another memorable season.

The 2011-2012 New York Islanders season

The first best friend I ever had once told me that she always looked around the classroom on the last day of school in our elementary days, just to remember the way the room looked one last time before never spending a day in that same room again. At the time, that concept of looking around a classroom one last time sounded so silly to me because I had spent every school day sitting in that classroom for one whole school year. But, with that skeptical thought in mind, I looked around my classroom on the last day of first grade and studied that room as if it were my final test of that year. I still remember how the walls looked sad, baring less color and vibrancy compared to how they had appeared covered in educational posters and youthful artwork all year. I remember the chalkboards were so clean, almost too clean, and the single back window was open to welcome summer while the front door was open for us to leave and say our goodbyes to that school year.

The day leading up to the last New York Islanders 2011-2012 season home game felt like a last day of school. Jessica and I had said our goodbyes to the friends we made that season, goodbye to section 101 and the imperfect marks on the glass we looked through for warm-ups before the start of every home game, just like the seat handle to one of the seats said goodbye to the seat it had been attached to and fell to the Coliseum ground. We all laughed, and we joked, just like we always do, about how the place we love so much is falling apart and about how our lungs are probably lined with asbestos from breathing in the cool Coliseum air all these nights we’ve been spending here together.

As I sat in section 211 of Nassau Coliseum, with someone I know I’ll be able to call my best friend until the very end, I remembered what my first best friend had told me. Although I know I’ll never forget, I studied the way the Coliseum looked one last time before the last New York Islanders home game of the 2011-2012 season came to an end. I looked at the scoreboard, which told me one last period remained, and it felt so nostalgic of the first game of the season. I remember I had wished there was more time remaining for the Islanders to make a comeback, and less time for the people booing in the stands to have to sit in their seats and watch a team already sporting the look of defeat on their faces. I remembered every game in between until I brought myself back to six months later: reality. I was presently sitting on the opposite side of the arena, wishing for more time for the people in the stands to watch a team that had more than enough time to proudly overcome their opposition in front of a home crowd (which they eventually did). The dull green empty seats outnumbered the small crowd, no different than the rest of the season, a season that felt more mature than the previous year.

Those times I quickly reminisced could fill pages upon pages to amount to a storybook full of memories. The book would begin somewhere around the time Matt Martin walked behind Jessica and I on our way to the Marriott and called Jessica’s jersey beautiful, continue onto when Travis Hamonic’s mom was behind us in the Coliseum lobby and asked to take a picture of me to send to Travis, to when Travis’ brother stood behind us and we made fun of the songs the Coliseum played, just like how my friends and I couldn’t help but laugh at the choir of children singing “Dynamite,” and laugh at the way the Coliseum is slowly falling apart in comparison to how quickly such strong friendships have bonded together.

Some moments brought those friendships closer together: thoroughly planning our foursquare check-in’s but not winning tickets, “Champions later?”, wondering how Travis Hamonic received all those phantom penalties, yelling about those non-calls, screaming when PA netted that goal that forced overtime but becoming speechless when the Leafs scored the overtime goal on Al Montoya, watching John Tavares emerge as a star and the evolution of Tavares Time, and wondering how an Islanders fan could possibly marry a Bruins fan at Nassau Coliseum, but Frans Nielsen rejected a referee’s marriage proposal. One of my favorite parts about an Islanders game day was how the car speakers blasted with The Early November’s music on the way to and from each home game. Jess and I obnoxiously sang along similarly to how we sang along to “Seven Nation Army” blasting through the busted Coliseum speakers, before every Islanders power play, hoping for our team to capitalize on the opportunity just like we capitalized on every opportunity to have a good time at Nassau Coliseum regardless of the outcome in the game.

Jessica and I sat on the couches of the Marriott lobby one November night following an Islanders loss in overtime. We sat in silence, an unusual occurrence when we’re together, as a man walked past us and said, “Cheer up, your team is going to be good one day real soon.” We weren’t even upset about the loss, and we didn’t have to be told that our team is going to be a good team one day. We saw sporadic glimpses of hope this season, and I chose to believe this team will move in the right direction.

Maybe they’ll move to a new arena, maybe I spent one of my last regular season NHL games at Nassau Coliseum and maybe that building will soon become just another memory. But I’ll always remember the way the Coliseum looked from my seat in section 211, all the laughs, the jokes, and the times that made me smile, and know that next season is just another chance for things to change, and for even better things to begin and take the place of what was, to me, another memorable season.

My dad put the NHL playoff schedule over the Isles regular season schedule. Not sure if I want to laugh or cry.

My dad put the NHL playoff schedule over the Isles regular season schedule. Not sure if I want to laugh or cry.

3/13/12 - Capitals 5, Islanders 4 (SO) &#8220;You know the season&#8217;s almost over when I&#8217;m not walking out of the house wearing six layers of clothing,&#8221; I announced, to anyone who was listening, while trying to officially decide on an outfit that was appropriate for the warm Tuesday afternoon weather but also warm enough to withstand the bracing and invigorating feeling of the cool Coliseum ice. I left my house wearing my usual New York Islanders sweatshirt, thinking a t-shirt might have been the better, more suitable choice of clothing, and drove to the train station. Almost eight hours later, the New York Islanders left Nassau Coliseum with one point while Jess and I walked out of the doors of the arena we call our second home with sunburned faces. Back inside the Coliseum, the New York Islanders held a 4-1 lead just past the halfway point in regulation time. John Tavares was initially credited with three of those four New York Islanders goals. However, his hat trick was a false alarm, almost foreshadowing how the Islanders&#8217; three goal lead was not enough to solidify a two-point victory while time remained on the scoreboard. Hats were thrown onto the ice, and cleared off shortly before the change in scoring announcement was made, in which Matt Moulson was credited with the first goal of the game and congratulated for his third-straight season having scored 30 goals. Although Matt Moulson and Travis Hamonic each scored one goal while John Tavares matched his teammates&#8217; goals with two of his own, the Washington Capitals team would score three goals to match the New York Islanders team before regulation time expired. Each team was given one point but the Washington Capitals took home the second point from the New York Islanders in the fourth round of a shootout. Jess and I walked out of the Coliseum without realizing our faces were sporting a color almost as red as the red on the Washington Capitals jerseys. But we know the jerseys we wear, the sweatshirts, and the t-shirts underneath are always going to represent the New York Islanders. The red marks on our faces will change into a tan which will darken in time, only to fade again, but the memories we make here are permanent.

3/13/12 - Capitals 5, Islanders 4 (SO)

“You know the season’s almost over when I’m not walking out of the house wearing six layers of clothing,” I announced, to anyone who was listening, while trying to officially decide on an outfit that was appropriate for the warm Tuesday afternoon weather but also warm enough to withstand the bracing and invigorating feeling of the cool Coliseum ice.

I left my house wearing my usual New York Islanders sweatshirt, thinking a t-shirt might have been the better, more suitable choice of clothing, and drove to the train station. Almost eight hours later, the New York Islanders left Nassau Coliseum with one point while Jess and I walked out of the doors of the arena we call our second home with sunburned faces.

Back inside the Coliseum, the New York Islanders held a 4-1 lead just past the halfway point in regulation time. John Tavares was initially credited with three of those four New York Islanders goals. However, his hat trick was a false alarm, almost foreshadowing how the Islanders’ three goal lead was not enough to solidify a two-point victory while time remained on the scoreboard. Hats were thrown onto the ice, and cleared off shortly before the change in scoring announcement was made, in which Matt Moulson was credited with the first goal of the game and congratulated for his third-straight season having scored 30 goals.

Although Matt Moulson and Travis Hamonic each scored one goal while John Tavares matched his teammates’ goals with two of his own, the Washington Capitals team would score three goals to match the New York Islanders team before regulation time expired. Each team was given one point but the Washington Capitals took home the second point from the New York Islanders in the fourth round of a shootout.

Jess and I walked out of the Coliseum without realizing our faces were sporting a color almost as red as the red on the Washington Capitals jerseys. But we know the jerseys we wear, the sweatshirts, and the t-shirts underneath are always going to represent the New York Islanders. The red marks on our faces will change into a tan which will darken in time, only to fade again, but the memories we make here are permanent.

3/10/12 - Devils 2, Islanders 1

3/10/12 - Devils 2, Islanders 1

2/26/12 - Islanders vs. Senators

I had hoped the previous New York Islanders victory would inspire the team to string together a set of wins to aid their playoff push, beginning with a victory at the Scotiabank Center in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon. However, hopes had towered over the outcome of Sunday afternoon’s matchup between the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators.

Islanders forward John Tavares opened scoring before the 1 minute mark of the first period after a brilliant 2-on-1 execution. As a result, the New York Islanders held a one goal lead at just 49 seconds into regulation.

However, the New York Islanders early lead had plummeted to a two-goal deficit by the third period. My dream of the New York Islanders making the playoffs was soon replaced with day-dreams centered on Yankees Opening Day.

Although Islanders forward PA Parenteau decreased the goal-deficit to a single goal at 9:04 in the third period, the Ottawa Senators hit the net two more times and the New York Islanders were left hitting the bottom in the standings among playoff contenders. The New York Islanders lost a crucial game, falling 5-2 to the Ottawa Senators.

2/24/12 - Islanders vs. Rangers

Every regular-season game played between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers is an always an exciting matchup between the two cross-town rivals, rivaling the intensity of a playoff game. Friday night’s game at Nassau Coliseum certainly lived up to the expectations of this obstinate rivalry, with the winner to be decided upon the outcome of a definitive shootout.

The time elapsing between opening faceoff and the shootout included an exciting first and second period, a scoreless third period and scoreless overtime. Two goals were scored by the New York Islanders in the first period (Moulson at 6:07 and Parenteau at 8:42) while Marc Staal netted the solitary first period goal for the New York Rangers on a power play at 12:47.

The New York Rangers second period effort matched the collective endeavor of the New York Islanders in the first period. Islanders forward PA Parenteau netted a power play goal at 8:11 in the second period but the New York Rangers scored the subsequent two goals (Gaborik at 11:49 and Stepan at 16:40).

After three periods, overtime, three-rounds of a shootout and shortly after my body seemingly mimicked a heart attack because of the swelling sensations of anxiety I was experiencing, New York Islanders forward Matt Moulson, who opened scoring at 6:07 into the first period, ended the game in the fourth-round of the game-deciding shootout. The New York Islanders defeated the New York Rangers, emerging the victorious side of the battle of New York, by a count of 4-3.

2/21/12 - Islanders vs. Sabres

The New York Islanders found themselves at the First Niagara Center in a similar situation as the day game before at Nassau Coliseum had faltered. A quick opposition goal netted by Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers at 1:21 in the first period placed the New York Islanders at another early deficit.

The New York Islanders trailed as the Buffalo Sabres continued to dominate, with help from Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller. Sabres forward Thomas Vanek’s goal at 3:41 lifted the Sabres to a two-goal lead in the second period but the New York Islanders did not leave Buffalo without putting up a fight.

After an actual fight between Matt Martin and Mike Weber, the New York Islanders began to combat their opposition with an overall display of team-effort. That two-goal deficit was cut in half by Islanders forward Frans Nielsen at 14:52 into the third period. With 5:08 left to play, the New York Islanders battled with the intensity they had lacked throughout the previous 55 minutes of play. Unfortunately, that intensity was not enough to beat the solid goaltending of Ryan Miller as the New York Islanders fell to the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 2-1.

2/20/12 - Islanders vs. Senators

I sat in the chair at the dentist’s office and watched News12 on the television in front of me. The time was 11:11am when the sports news scrolled at the bottom of the television screen stating, “OTT vs NYI” as one of the main headlines. I wished for a NYI win to result after their home game, set to begin in less than two hours. I also wished I was going to be in attendance for the Tuesday afternoon game at Nassau Coliseum.

However, once those two hours had past, I realized getting my tooth drilled at the dentist was a lot less painful than watching the Ottawa Senators score two goals on Islanders goaltender Kevin Poulin within 1:08 into the first period.

In response to the early opposition goals, Islanders Head Coach Jack Capuano called upon Al Montoya to replace Kevin Poulin in goal. Conversely, little was executed by the New York Islanders team to substitute for their lack of intensity in the opening minutes of regulation. The New York Islanders surrendered four more goals to the Ottawa Senators, ultimately falling 6-0 to the Senators after 60 minutes of play.

2/18/12 - Islanders vs. Hurricanes I got out of the car, grabbed my pocketbook, and walked towards the train station’s ticket office on the brisk Saturday afternoon. &#8220;I feel like I&#8217;m forgetting something because my bag feels so much lighter than usual,&#8221; I said, to my mom, as I walked alongside her. I continued, &#8220;I left my Islanders scarf at home because the Islanders lost the last few times I brought the scarf with me to the game. So, that&#8217;s gotta be why.&#8221; My mom paused, before laughing at me, &#8220;Yeah…they lost because of the scarf…&#8221; I laughed with her, but because she didn’t understand. &#8220;It&#8217;s not the team, it&#8217;s me!&#8221; I exclaimed. It&#8217;s like the break-up line, &#8220;It’s not you; it&#8217;s me.” Of course it&#8217;s you. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m leaving you, but I also care about you enough not to hurt your feelings. I have yet to love any human being more than I love the New York Islanders and I could never leave this team; a team that could possibly leave me in the future. After every Islanders loss, my best friend, Jess, and I reflect upon what we did wrong in the hours leading up to the game. There is always something we find to take the blame as the nightly, or sometimes daily, jinx of the team. That something is never a player; but, always an action we performed, a phrase we said, or an inanimate object belonging to one or both of us. Jess and I both wore our white jerseys for Saturday night&#8217;s game at Nassau Coliseum, knowing very well that the New York Islanders had yet to win a game while we wore them this season. The white jerseys had frequently become the blame to certain losses at home. However, no blame was needed to be placed on anything after Saturday night; only credit needed to be given. The New York Islanders defeated the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-3 but the New York Islanders didn&#8217;t win because of us. The Islanders won because of Kyle Okposo&#8217;s opening-scoring goal, Frans Nielsen&#8217;s power play goal, John Tavares&#8217; two goals, and the 33 saves made by the recently-recalled Islanders goaltender Kevin Poulin. As I write this post in the spirit of National Hockey Day in America, hockey means so much to me that I&#8217;ll blame myself for my favorite team&#8217;s misfortunes, and praise the team for the success they&#8217;ve gratefully earned themselves.

2/18/12 - Islanders vs. Hurricanes

I got out of the car, grabbed my pocketbook, and walked towards the train station’s ticket office on the brisk Saturday afternoon. “I feel like I’m forgetting something because my bag feels so much lighter than usual,” I said, to my mom, as I walked alongside her. I continued, “I left my Islanders scarf at home because the Islanders lost the last few times I brought the scarf with me to the game. So, that’s gotta be why.” My mom paused, before laughing at me, “Yeah…they lost because of the scarf…” I laughed with her, but because she didn’t understand. “It’s not the team, it’s me!” I exclaimed.

It’s like the break-up line, “It’s not you; it’s me.” Of course it’s you. That’s why I’m leaving you, but I also care about you enough not to hurt your feelings.

I have yet to love any human being more than I love the New York Islanders and I could never leave this team; a team that could possibly leave me in the future. After every Islanders loss, my best friend, Jess, and I reflect upon what we did wrong in the hours leading up to the game. There is always something we find to take the blame as the nightly, or sometimes daily, jinx of the team. That something is never a player; but, always an action we performed, a phrase we said, or an inanimate object belonging to one or both of us.

Jess and I both wore our white jerseys for Saturday night’s game at Nassau Coliseum, knowing very well that the New York Islanders had yet to win a game while we wore them this season. The white jerseys had frequently become the blame to certain losses at home. However, no blame was needed to be placed on anything after Saturday night; only credit needed to be given.

The New York Islanders defeated the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-3 but the New York Islanders didn’t win because of us. The Islanders won because of Kyle Okposo’s opening-scoring goal, Frans Nielsen’s power play goal, John Tavares’ two goals, and the 33 saves made by the recently-recalled Islanders goaltender Kevin Poulin.

As I write this post in the spirit of National Hockey Day in America, hockey means so much to me that I’ll blame myself for my favorite team’s misfortunes, and praise the team for the success they’ve gratefully earned themselves.