from Neil Best of Newsday,

It has been 11 months since the Islanders announced they will move to Brooklyn in 2015, but to this point that has been a mostly abstract concept rendered in words and fans' collective imagination.

That will change Saturday night when the team hosts the Devils in a preseason contest that marks the NHL's first visit to the borough.

But the real drama will not take place on the ice, where the teams will play a meaningless game. Most eyes around the NHL will be focused on the audience, and the first test of how the league might go over in downtown Trendyville.

All signs so far point to pretty darn good, according to Barclays Center (and Brooklyn Nets) CEO Brett Yormark, who said yesterday that ticket sales have been "terrific," with about 11,000 of the 15,813 seats sold and more expected during the week. The game will not be televised, but it will be streamed on NewYorkIslanders.com and BarclaysCenter.com.

"I think it's incredible," said Yormark, who said there has been "very little advertising" behind the event beyond free publicity from media day last week, some Long Island Rail Road ads and the arena's own website and marquee.

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