Nassau Coliseum

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Lore & Background

The New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL) played at the Coliseum from 1972 to 2015 before moving to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. After the move was commercially unsuccessful, the team split its home schedule between Barclays and the renovated Coliseum from 2018 to 2020 and played the home portion of their 2020–21 season at the Coliseum, before moving to the new UBS Arena at Belmont Park for the 2021–22 season, which is also on Hempstead Turnpike, west of the Coliseum. It was also the home of the New York Nets (now known as the Brooklyn Nets) of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1972 to 1977 and the New York Riptide of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) from 2020 to 2024. In 2017, the venue became the new home of the Brooklyn Nets' NBA G League team, the Long Island Nets. Currently, the Nets serve as the building's main tenant.

In Their Own Story

The air inside was thick with anticipation on that cold March night in 1982. Thousands of voices merged into a single roar as the puck dropped for faceoff. The floodlights hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the pristine ice where players in blue and orange skated with purpose. Every slap shot echoed off the concrete walls, vibrating through the soles of boots in the upper deck. For ninety minutes, nothing existed but the game, the noise, and the hope that tonight would be another chapter in history.

Reader's Guide

The Coliseum originally had a capacity of 13,000 to 15,000 depending on the event, and in the early 1980s the maximum capacity was increased to around 18,000. Before closing for renovations in 2015 the Coliseum seated 16,170 for hockey, up to 18,511 for concerts and 17,686 for boxing. Those renovations resulted in drastically reduced capacities: 13,917 for hockey and 14,500 for basketball.

Did You Know?

• The Islanders played their last game at the Coliseum before moving to Barclays Center on April 25, 2015, beating the Washington Capitals 3–1 in Game 6 of the first round of the 2015 playoffs.
• The first event at the Coliseum was a New York Nets game against the Pittsburgh Condors on February 11, 1972.
• The arena hosted the 35th National Hockey League All-Star Game on February 8, 1983, during which Wayne Gretzky scored four goals in the third period and was named MVP.
• The Islanders were 11–1 in Stanley Cup Final games at the Coliseum; their only loss was a 1–0 setback in Game 1 in 1984 to the Edmonton Oilers.

Origins and Architectural Evolution

Situated on 63 acres of the former Mitchel Field Army airbase in Uniondale, New York, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum opened in 1972. The venue is situated approximately 7 miles east of the eastern limits of Queens, adjacent to the Meadowbrook Parkway. It is one of the larger public auditoriums in the New York metropolitan area. The facility features a main arena spanning 44,000 square feet alongside an expansive 60,000-square-foot Expo Center. Originally capable of seating between 13,000 and 15,000 spectators, the venue underwent expansion in the early 1980s, boosting its maximum capacity to approximately 18,000. A major renovation project initiated in 2015 fundamentally altered the building's footprint. Upon reopening in April 2017, the Coliseum featured drastically reduced seating numbers, settling at 13,917 for hockey and 14,500 for basketball events.

The Islanders Dynasty and Fort Neverlose

The New York Islanders of the NHL played at the Coliseum from 1972 to 2015. The first Islanders game in the Coliseum was on October 7, 1972, as the Atlanta Flames visited. Flames forward Morris Stefaniw scored the first NHL goal in the building at 6:56 of the first period. The arena earned the nickname "Fort Neverlose" from fans in honor of the team's strong home record during the finals. The Islanders were 11–1 in Stanley Cup Final games at the Coliseum; their only loss was a 1–0 setback in Game 1 in 1984 to the Edmonton Oilers. On February 8, 1983, the arena hosted the 35th NHL All-Star Game, during which Wayne Gretzky scored four goals in the third period and was honored as the game's most valuable player. The Islanders played their last game at the Coliseum before moving to Barclays Center on April 25, 2015, beating the Washington Capitals 3–1 in Game 6 of the first round, with Cal Clutterbuck scoring the final NHL goal on an empty net at 19:07 of the third period. After renovations, the Islanders split their home schedule between Barclays and the renovated Coliseum from 2018 to 2020, and played the home portion of their 2020–21 season at the Coliseum. Their final game was on June 23, 2021, a 3–2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the 2021 Stanley Cup semifinals, with Anthony Beauvillier scoring the overtime goal.

Basketball History and Franchise Transitions

The Coliseum was home to the New York Nets of the ABA and later the NBA from 1972 to 1977. The first event at the Coliseum was a Nets game against the Pittsburgh Condors on February 11, 1972. The Nets won two ABA Championships in the Coliseum, with Hall of Famer Julius Erving headlining the team. In 1973–74 the Nets defeated the Utah Stars in five games to capture their first title. The Nets then captured the final American Basketball Association Championship in 1976, defeating the Denver Nuggets in six games. Following the 1976 season the Nets joined the NBA as part of the ABA–NBA merger. After their first season in the NBA, the Nets moved to New Jersey. In 2017, the venue became the new home of the Brooklyn Nets' NBA G League team, the Long Island Nets, who currently serve as the building's main tenant.

Defining Moments and Cultural Impact

The first NHL goal in the building was scored by Morris Stefaniw of the Atlanta Flames at 6:56 of the first period on October 7, 1972. The Islanders' first playoff win at the arena came on April 20, 1975, where they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2. On April 22, 1976, the Islanders earned their first playoff series victory at the arena by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 3–2, and winning the series 4–2. The Islanders were 11–1 in Stanley Cup Final games at the Coliseum, with their only loss a 1–0 setback in Game 1 in 1984 to the Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders played their last game before moving to Barclays Center on April 25, 2015, beating the Washington Capitals 3–1 in Game 6 of the first round. After renovations, the Islanders returned for a split schedule from 2018 to 2020, then played the 2020–21 season at the Coliseum. Their final game was on June 23, 2021, a 3–2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the 2021 Stanley Cup semifinals, with Anthony Beauvillier scoring the overtime goal. The Islanders became the third team to end their arena's history with a playoff victory.

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