The New York Islanders’ dynasty teams of the early 1980s didn’t just beat but intimidated visitors. Black-and-white photos from those legendary days adorn parts of the modern-era Coliseum, and the banners still hang proudly in the 47-year-old venue.
The Kings didn’t face a dynasty in a rare appearance there Saturday, but a first-place Metropolitan Division squad with plans for an extended spring was challenge enough. Shrugging off aura, an ailing captain and a defense void of Jake Muzzin, they gamely matched the Islanders for much of the night, only to flub the ending in a 4-2 loss.
“We played probably good for 55 minutes, what-ever it was,” Dustin Brown said.