Islanders would play first-round playoff games at Coliseum

The Islanders got a concession.

The team announced early Friday night that if the first-place team makes the playoffs, the home games of the first round would be played at the Coliseum, their old home on Long Island where they are set to have 21 regular-season games this season. If the team makes it further into the postseason, the rest of the home games will be played at Barclays Center, the ill-fitting Brooklyn home for the team for the previous three seasons before this one.

As The Post reported a few weeks ago, the decision would have ultimately come down to Gary Bettman making the call, with the commissioner holding the final say. But the club obviously lobbied to hold its games at the Coliseum, with a smaller capacity but far more fervent fanbase. And surprisingly, the league at least partially agreed to sacrifice some money in the first round in order to see a better atmosphere.

The decision was made “following consultation with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office,” according to the team release. It also noted that the change in venue in the middle of the postseason would be because “Nassau Coliseum does not qualify as an NHL major league facility.”

see also

Islanders have no idea where home is for playoffs

BOSTON — It’s hard to exactly feel bad for the…

It was an interesting note, considering the league already said that facility was good enough to hold the first-round games.

But surely, this decision has made the players and coaches happy.

After the first game of the season at the Coliseum back on Dec. 1, first-year coach Barry Trotz said that atmosphere was worth “10-12 points” over the course of the season. That might be pushing it, but it certainly is far more of a home-ice advantage than the echo-chamber of Barclays.

It also makes if way more convenient for the players, who all live on Long Island, also where their practice facility is and where they have morning skates.

The splitting of the two venues has worked just fine so far, as the Islanders have surprised many people by being in first in the Metropolitan Division at this late a juncture of the season. Before league action on Friday night, and with the Isles set to play host to the Oilers on Saturday night in Brooklyn, they were holding a three-point lead over the second-place Capitals, and were seven points clear of the Penguins, in the second wild-card spot.