Boomer Esiason, who knows a thing or two about playing in football stadiums, was at his son-in-law’s house Wednesday to hype up the experience Matt Martin will have at MetLife Stadium this weekend.
“This is going to be the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of. It’s pretty crazy to walk in there and actually see how big this place actually is. ” Martin said after the Isles practiced outdoors Thursday in preparation for Sunday’s Stadium Series game against the Rangers. “Because I’ve been here for Jets games and Giants games, and you never really realize how big it is until you’re on the field or on the ice or whatever. It’s pretty crazy. Yes.”
Martin is one of only four Islanders players on the current roster to play against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium in 2014 – the others are Cal Clutterbuck, Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas. MetLife’s capacity is much larger, with the NHL expecting 140,000 people for the two weekend games.
The Islanders were the first of the four teams to take to the ice to play in the Stadium Series, with the Rangers, Devils and Flyers scheduled to take the ice on Friday. So the day was a little more subdued, with coach Patrick Roy putting the players through their families before they took to the ice.
“Watching them today, they seem excited about the game,” Roy said. “I wish we had a game like this in my day. I had a chance to do that seven years ago in Colorado when I played an Old Timers game with the Detroit players. I loved the crowd and everyone. It was fun to watch and the next day there was a game against the Red Wings. It was a first for me [outdoor] I really enjoyed it both as a coach and as a former player. ”
On Thursday, Roy said a little more than 24 hours ago it would have been just a distraction. A practice that begins with a team photo and ends with a family skate is inherently not a place to get much done.
But the islanders were happy to accept it, at least for the day.
“Today was great,” Ryan Purock said. “I practiced and then spent time with my family. I think the event itself, the rink inside the stadium, the stadium looks huge. It’s the Rangers vs. Isles game. I think the crowd will be huge. Everyone is looking forward to Sunday. And I think you are.”
It’s a rare moment in the spotlight for a club that usually plays a second-string role in its home market and has been derided as boring by one or two of the country’s most prominent commentators.
But Roy’s presence never makes them that way. The same goes for playing rival matches under stadium lights.
“That was the first thing people said to me,” Roy said of the rivalry with the Rangers. “They love those games, they get the fans excited, and everyone really enjoys those games. We’re looking forward to being a part of it on Sunday afternoon.”
There are no alumni games scheduled this weekend. It’s the first resumption of battle in New York since Dec. 22, 2022, and the nominal home team needs momentum to deflate the playoff-chasing balloon after dropping two games in a row.
That should be motivation enough for a team that has yet to feel consistent this season, but will have to find a way to stay consistent if they are to get past the playoff cutline after 82 games.
“I had a lot of fun coming out here today, letting it go, having fun,” Martin said. “From now on, I will concentrate on the game.”
