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Kevin Connolly predicts end to Isles long playoff drought
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Kevin Connolly predicts end to Isles long playoff drought

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An Islanders jersey intentionally was front and center for the cameras as part of the office décor of Kevin Connolly’s character Eric Murphy during his nine-season run on the hit HBO series “Entourage.”

The Long Island native is a hardcore fan dating back to the team’s 1980s dynasty, and Connolly – as you’d fully expect – is “pulling hard” for the Isles to end their drought without a playoff series win since 1993 by defeating Atlantic Division champion Florida in the first round.

“I feel like I’m reading a lot of stuff online that a lot of people seem to be picking the Panthers. This might sound crazy, but fan or not, I like the Islanders in seven games,” Connolly told the Daily News in a phone interview Wednesday. “First off, health is always an issue at this time of year and I hope we get (defenseman Travis) Hamonic and (goalie Jaroslav) Halak back … But if you look around the league, every team is dinged up right now.

BILL TORREY ADMITS IT’LL BE STRANGE WHEN ISLES FACE PANTHERS

“As far as Florida goes, I went to a couple of games towards the end of the year, and all you heard from other fans is they should try to lose and face Florida. Listen, I hate that stuff. Florida is tough, with experience with (Jaromir) Jagr and (Roberto) Luongo, and young talent like the Islanders have. So to me, this is going to be a knock-down, drag-em-out, seven-game series, in my opinion. Certainly there are no easy paths, and that’s how it should be. But hopefully this is finally the year.”

While Connolly knows the Isles winning a series for the first time in 23 years “is long overdue, obviously,” he picks the NHL-leading Washington Capitals to win the Stanley Cup.

“They look like the Golden State Warriors this year, they just don’t look beatable,” Connolly said. “But I live in LA, so I see what’s going on out West, too, and the West is tough. I wouldn’t count out the Kings at all, I think they will be right there again.

“But I definitely hope it’s the Islanders coming out to California for the Finals.”

The Patchogue-Medford HS product was sad to see the Isles leave Nassau Coliseum after last season. But Connolly did attend a few games at Barclays Center in its inaugural campaign, including one Saturday alongside 2016 Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, who wasn’t able to avoid the cameras despite pulling a baseball cap low over his face.

“I think I made it to four games this year. I also obviously spend a lot of time in Manhattan, so I’ve done the trip both ways, on the train from Long Island, and 15 minutes to Barclays from the city,” Connolly said. “Leo lives in lower Manhattan and we left at 7:15 and got there by 7:30, which was really nice.

Actor Kevin Connolly (l.) bring his pal Leonardo DiCaprio (2nd from right) to watch the Islanders play the Buffalo Sabres at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on April 9.Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Actor Kevin Connolly (l.) bring his pal Leonardo DiCaprio (2nd from right) to watch the Islanders play the Buffalo Sabres at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on April 9.

“He and I go back many, many years,” Connolly continued. “I took him to a Kings game one time, too, but this was his first Islander game … He’s kind of a private guy, and never has been comfortable having his picture taken, but in LA I think there’s less of that, less pressure. But we had a great time that night, for sure. Hopefully, he’ll come back for a playoff game next.”

Asked about the differences between the Coliseum and Barclays Center, Connolly added: “Anytime you go into a new arena, the biggest thing it lacks is memories. I’m also a Lakers fan and it was the same when they left the Forum for Staples Center. But all it takes is to win a couple of big games and create a few big moments the next few weeks, and all of a sudden Barclays will be a cool spot.

“As for the Coliseum, it was definitely a bummer to see it go … But it’s not their home anymore. So I always tell people, we just have to get over it. It would be nice if they were still at the Coliseum, but they’re not. Let’s make some new memories.”

To that end, Connolly needs to be in Los Angeles for the next week, but he’s “hoping to make it” to Brooklyn next week for Game 6, and possibly to Florida if the series goes the distance. “I never mind going to South Beach, either,” he joked.

Connolly, 42, next will direct John Travolta in a John Gotti biopic set to start filming this summer. He also directed, of course, the acclaimed ESPN 30-for-30 documentary on former Isles owner John Spano, who was convicted of fraud connected to his purchase of the Islanders in 1996-97.

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Spano was busted again in 2014 and sentenced last year to a 10-year prison term after pleading guilty to 16 counts of forgery and fraud in Ohio.

“That’s crazy, right?” Connolly said. “I feel bad in a way. When I signed on to do the 30-for-30 I was excited to be making a movie about my childhood team, it was never my intention to make more trouble for anybody. I didn’t even know most of that stuff had gone on, but what an incredible story. But he got quite a hefty sentence. The judge kind of threw the book at him and said enough is enough.

“You would think you wouldn’t be shocked based on knowing what we know, but I actually was a little surprised. I felt like I saw a different guy in talking to him, but I guess that’s just how it goes with his story, right?”

Tags:
kevin connolly ,
new york islanders ,
nhl ,
nhl playoffs ,
leonardo dicaprio ,
barclays center ,
john travolta ,
john gotti

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