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Upcoming New York Islanders dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Long Island's team and its four-Cup dynasty
The New York Islanders play their home games at UBS Arena, at Belmont Park in Elmont on the Queens–Nassau County line, with a regular season that runs from early October to mid-April and playoffs that can run into June. They compete in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference with the Rangers, Devils and Flyers, among others.
The club joined the NHL in 1972 and became a powerhouse within a decade. Built around Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Clark Gillies and goaltender Billy Smith, and coached by Al Arbour, the Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983, beating the Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota North Stars, Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. Between 1980 and 1984 they won 19 straight playoff series, a streak no other North American pro team has matched. The run ended when Edmonton beat them in the 1984 Final.
Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin took majority control of the club in 2016. Rosters and coaching staffs change, so check the team's site for the current lineup before you buy.
UBS Arena, the building the team waited decades for
UBS Arena opened on November 20, 2021, and seats 17,255 for hockey. Fans call it "The Stable," a nod to Belmont Park's thoroughbred racing history. It was designed by Populous with JRDV Urban International and Stantec, and UBS holds a 20-year naming-rights agreement announced in 2020.
The seating has three levels, and their proportions differ from most NHL arenas:
- The 100 level, the deep lower bowl where most seats in the building sit.
- The 200 level, a short ring of no more than five rows per section, according to seating guides, which keeps every row relatively close to the ice.
- The 300 level, the top tier, with no more than nine rows per section.
Premium areas include the Dime Club, which one guide places in sections 113 to 116 from row 7 up, and the Hyundai Club, a bar-style area at the top of the 100 level behind sections 119 to 121. The arena also hosts St. John's basketball, concerts and the PBR New York Mavericks.
Where to sit for an Islanders game
Center ice
Sideline seats in the middle of the 100 level, from about row 10 up, give the most complete view of the game: both nets, line changes and the shape of the power play. Seating guides place the Islanders bench in front of section 103 and the visiting bench in front of section 105. Sitting directly behind the benches puts you close to the players but can cost you part of the near boards when players stand.
The end where the Islanders shoot twice
Home teams attack the far net in the first and third periods. Guides list the Islanders as shooting twice toward section 109, with the visitors attacking the section 120 end in those periods. Buy behind the 109 end to see most of the home team's scoring chances up close.
Glass seats
Row 1 against the glass is the experience to buy for noise and speed. One guide recommends row 1 itself for the glass experience, since the rows just behind it can watch play through the panels; if you are not in the front row, moving higher usually sees more.
The 200 and 300 levels
Because the 200 level is so shallow, its center sections, which one guide names as 206 and 221, are among the best-value views in the building. The 300 level is a full step higher, but with only a handful of rows per section even its back row is closer than the top of many older arenas.
Rivalry nights and peak demand
The NHL calendar follows a fixed shape: preseason games in late September, an 82-game regular season (41 home games) from early October to mid-April, and four rounds of best-of-seven playoffs from mid-April into June.
Demand at UBS Arena follows a few predictable patterns:
- The Rangers. The Battle of New York dates to the clubs' first meeting on October 21, 1972, and it is usually the most sought-after regular-season ticket. Rangers fans can reach Elmont on the same LIRR system they use for Midtown, so expect a mixed crowd.
- The Devils and Flyers. Division rivals within driving distance bring visiting crowds and playoff-race stakes.
- Weekend and holiday games. Saturday nights and the winter school break draw families from across Long Island and Queens.
- Playoff games. Home playoff games are the most expensive tickets of the year, and demand climbs with each round.
Midweek games against Western Conference teams that visit once a season are usually the softest part of the market. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Getting to Belmont Park by train or car
The Elmont–UBS Arena station, the first entirely new Long Island Rail Road station since 1976, opened for eastbound event service with the arena in November 2021 and added full two-way service in October 2022. Most trains are on the Hempstead Branch. Per the arena, direct trains from Grand Central Madison take about 30 minutes, and shuttles cover the five-minute trip from the station to the arena. MTA and NICE buses also serve the campus.
Drivers can prepay parking through the arena's ticketing partner until the lots open; lots include Emerald, the Belmont Park Garage, Diamond, Ruby and Silver, and their availability varies by event. As of fall 2026, the arena's posted rules include:
- Parking opens two hours before doors and closes 90 minutes after the event.
- Bags can be no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches, and backpacks of any size are not allowed.
- Tickets are mobile only, added to your phone's wallet and forwarded to each guest.
- Concessions are cashless, with reverse ATMs on site.
Check the UBS Arena know-before-you-go page for current rules before you go.
From the Coliseum to Brooklyn to Elmont
The Islanders spent their first 43 seasons at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, where all four Cup banners were won. Bob Nystrom's overtime goal at 7:11 of Game 6 against the Flyers clinched the first title in 1980. In the 1987 playoffs, Pat LaFontaine ended the "Easter Epic" against Washington in the fourth overtime.
In 2015 the team moved to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and in the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons split home games between Brooklyn and a renovated Coliseum. The Coliseum's last series-clinching win came on May 26, 2021, against Pittsburgh. That spring the Islanders reached the Stanley Cup semifinal and lost Game 7 to Tampa Bay 1–0 on June 25, 2021. UBS Arena opened months later and ended the team's long search for a permanent modern home.
The Rangers rivalry runs through it all. J. P. Parise scored 11 seconds into overtime to win the clubs' first playoff meeting in 1975, the Islanders won four straight series against the Rangers from 1981 to 1984, and for years Islanders crowds taunted Rangers fans with chants of "1940," the year of the Rangers' previous title, until 1994.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the New York Islanders play?
The Islanders play at UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It opened in November 2021 and seats 17,255 for hockey.
How do I get to UBS Arena by train?
Take the Long Island Rail Road to the Elmont–UBS Arena station, served mainly by Hempstead Branch trains. The arena says direct trains from Grand Central Madison take about 30 minutes, with a short shuttle to the doors.
Which end do the Islanders shoot twice at UBS Arena?
Seating guides list the Islanders as attacking toward section 109 in the first and third periods. Confirm on the seat map for your listing.
How many Stanley Cups have the Islanders won?
Four, won consecutively from 1980 through 1983. They also won 19 straight playoff series from 1980 to 1984.
What is the bag policy at UBS Arena?
As of fall 2026, bags must be no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches and backpacks are not allowed. Check the arena's site before you go, because the rules can change.