Tonight marks the first meeting in Brooklyn between the Islanders and Rangers, and Barclays Center "surely will be rocking with a mix of Isles and Rangers fans ready for action," according to Arthur Staple of NEWSDAY. Tonight's game comes as the atmosphere at Barclays Center "has been a bit lacking so far in this first Islanders season in Brooklyn." The Islanders have had "only one sellout at Barclays Center in their first 14 home games and are playing" to 78.4% of capacity, 27th in the NHL. The "biggest crowds outside of the opener against the Blackhawks were against teams whose fans travel well: the Canadiens, Bruins, Sabres and Flyers." Any longtime Islanders fan "knows that Rangers fans invaded the Coliseum often during the 43 years of the rivalry." So a full building tonight "likely will mean a healthy dose of Rangers’ blue to go with the Isles’ blue and orange." Islanders coach Jack Capuano: “It will probably be the loudest the building has been up until this point, for sure" (NEWSDAY, 12/2).
MIKE CHECK: On Long Island, Neil Best notes former Islanders GM/coach and current NBC analyst Mike Milbury "has not been to Barclays Center yet." But Milbury said that he has "heard both good things about the team’s new home and 'some awkward things about it.'” That includes the "unusual configuration, with many obstructed-view seats." However, Milbury said that he also is "concerned about the logistical setup of the Islanders’ new world." He said, "I always thought it was going to be tough to make it a Long Island-based team with a home base in Brooklyn. ... It’s going to be tough to convince all those Long Island fans to continue to support the team when it’s in Brooklyn" (NEWSDAY, 12/2).
