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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.
Islanders seats that earn the price
For a New York Islanders game, the most complete view is a 100-level sideline seat near center ice, row 10 or higher. The best value is the center of the 200 level, sections 206 and 221, because that ring is only a few rows deep and every seat in it stays close to the ice. UBS Arena seats 17,255 for hockey.
- Isles goals in front of you: behind the net at the section 109 end.
- Close to the players: near the home bench at section 103, with a trade-off when players stand.
- Lowest cost: the 300 level, where no section runs past nine rows.
- Glass: row 1 specifically, not the rows just behind it.
The home schedule starts in October and wraps in mid-April; a playoff run can last into June.
A deep 100 level, a five-row 200 ring and the 300s
The building's proportions are unusual for the NHL.
100 level
Most of the building's seats are down here, in a tall lower bowl. Guides put the home bench at section 103 and the visiting bench at 105.
200 level
Seating guides cap these sections at five rows, so nobody up here is far from the rail. At center, 206 and 221 rank with the best buys in the arena.
300 level
The highest tier, nine rows at most in any section. It sits well above the 200s, but its last row is still nearer the ice than the upper reaches of plenty of older NHL buildings.
Premium areas
One guide places the Dime Club in rows 7 and higher of sections 113–116. Up at the back of the lower bowl, behind 119–121, the Hyundai Club works like a bar with a view.
Section 109, the benches and row 1 vs. row 3
- The 109 end: per seating guides, the Islanders shoot here in periods one and three, while the visitors attack toward 120 in those same periods. Confirm on your listing's map.
- Behind the benches (103 and 105): close to the players, but when they stand you can lose part of the near boards.
- Row 1 vs. the rows behind it: for the up-against-the-glass feeling, one guide says buy row 1 only, since rows 2 and 3 look through the panels. Anything short of the front row, and you are better off climbing.
- Row 10 and up at center ice: you can follow both goals, every change and how each power play is set up.
Rangers nights, division games and school-break crowds
Preseason games arrive in late September. The Islanders then host 41 of 82 regular-season games through mid-April, and up to four best-of-seven rounds follow.
- The Rangers: first played October 21, 1972, the Battle of New York is normally the hardest regular-season seat to get. Blueshirts fans reach Elmont on the same commuter rail they take to Midtown, so the crowd is mixed.
- The Devils and Flyers: division opponents a drive away, often with the standings at stake.
- Saturdays and the winter school break: the family crowd from Queens and all over Long Island.
- Home playoff games: the costliest seats of the season, and dearer with every round.
For the easiest prices, look at a weeknight game against a Western club on its one trip east.
Hempstead Branch trains, Belmont lots and arena rules
The arena stands at Belmont Park in Elmont, right where Queens meets Nassau County. Its rail stop, Elmont–UBS Arena, was the LIRR's first brand-new station since 1976: it began with eastbound event trains when the arena opened in November 2021 and gained service in both directions on October 6, 2022. Hempstead Branch trains handle most of the traffic. Per the arena, a direct ride from Grand Central Madison is roughly half an hour, followed by a shuttle of about five minutes. NICE and MTA buses reach the grounds as well.
If you drive, buy parking ahead through the arena's ticket seller. The lots are named Emerald, Diamond, Ruby and Silver, plus the Belmont Park Garage, and which ones open varies by event. Rules as of fall 2026:
- Parking hours: from two hours ahead of doors until 90 minutes past the final horn.
- Bags: up to 12 by 12 by 6 inches, and backpacks are banned regardless of size.
- Tickets: phone only; each person in your group needs the ticket sent to their own device.
- Payment: no cash at the stands; kiosks on site convert bills to a card.
Policies change; confirm on the arena's visitor page before you go. Reserved Seat backs every order with a 100% guarantee.
The Stable, Brooklyn and the long road to Elmont
The doors opened November 20, 2021. Because the site is a racetrack, fans nicknamed the place The Stable. Populous led the design, working with Stantec and JRDV Urban International, and the bank's 20-year naming agreement was announced in 2020. Concerts, St. John's basketball and the PBR's New York Mavericks share the building.
Getting here took decades. For 43 seasons home was the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale. In 2015 the team left for Brooklyn's Barclays Center, then divided its schedule between Barclays and a refurbished Coliseum for 2018–19 and 2019–20. The old barn's final series clincher came against Pittsburgh on May 26, 2021, and that playoff run closed with a 1–0 Game 7 loss to Tampa Bay in the semifinal on June 25, 2021. Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin have held majority control since 2016; check the team site for the current roster.
19 straight series, Nystrom's goal and the Battle of New York
Founded in 1972, the Islanders needed less than ten years to dominate. Al Arbour coached a core of Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies and Billy Smith in goal to Cups in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, over Philadelphia, Minnesota, Vancouver and Edmonton in turn. Their 19 playoff series wins in a row, 1980 through 1984, remain unmatched by any North American pro club. Edmonton ended it in the 1984 Final.
- 1980: Bob Nystrom scored at 7:11 of overtime in Game 6 against the Flyers for the first Cup.
- 1987: in the fourth overtime against Washington, Pat LaFontaine finally ended the game known as the Easter Epic.
- 1975: the first playoff meeting with the Rangers was decided 11 seconds into overtime, by J. P. Parise.
- 1981 to 1984: four straight series wins over the Rangers, whose supporters were taunted with chants of 1940, their last title year, until the Rangers won again in 1994.
Frequently asked questions
How many rows are in the UBS Arena 200 level?
Five at most, per seating guides. Every row in that ring stays near the ice, which makes center sections 206 and 221 such good buys.
Where is the Islanders bench at UBS Arena?
Guides put the home bench at section 103 and the visiting bench at 105.
How long is the train from Manhattan to UBS Arena?
Roughly half an hour on a direct LIRR train from Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena, per the arena, then a short shuttle of about five minutes.
When does parking open at UBS Arena?
As of fall 2026, lots open two hours before doors and close 90 minutes after the event. Prepaid parking is available through the arena's ticketing partner.
Why do fans call UBS Arena The Stable?
It sits at Belmont Park, home of thoroughbred racing, and the nickname nods to that history.