For me, April 21, 2015 began as any other day.
I went about my routine and, as was the case for any Islanders game I covered, left early to get to Nassau Coliseum, settle down in the press box and prepare my notes. Since this was a playoff game, I wanted to be there a little earlier than usual, in order to take in the magnitude of what I was about to experience.
Because this was not any other day, as I quickly realized. This proved to be my final visit to the Coliseum, a possibility I was certainly aware of at the time.