From left, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier of the Islanders celebrate Nelson's first-period goal against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
Brock Nelson walked to Madison Square Garden from the Islanders’ hotel and the differences between this regular season and the summer’s postseason, played in sequestered arena/practice rink/hotel bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, were starkly evident.
"It’s different," Nelson said after Friday’s practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. "There’s different challenges with both. The bubble was tough. You leave your family, you said goodbye and you said, ‘I’ll see you when I see you.