Long Island native Marshall Warren scores in NY Islanders pre-season opener

Marshall Warren surely dreamed about moments like this when he was seven years old, and on Sunday night, the Long Island native lived it in front of family and friends. The 24-year-old defenseman buried a goal off a slick feed from Mathew Barzal during the New York slanders’ preseason game, capping off a night that blended nerves, adrenaline, and pride.

“I mean, we had four defenseman at one point, so the legs got a little tired, but it was a good game. It was fun to play out there,” Warren said afterward. “You’re a kid and you always want to be out there when you’re young, and now you’re there and it’s like, wow, it’s pretty cool. But I wasn’t anxious, wasn’t nervous. I was just doing my thing.”

The play itself was simple but sharp: Barzal slipped a pass through traffic and Warren made no mistake, firing home a shot past the Flyers goaltender. “Nothing really [was running through my mind],” Warren said. “Just a good pass by Barzy. He’s so good at making those slip plays. I was able to find the back of the net, which was always nice — especially in front of friends and family.”

Plenty of support was in the stands for Warren, who grew up in Laurel Hollow. “Some of my boys from home, my mom, my sister. My dad’s away so he couldn’t make it, but yeah, a lot of friends and family showed up,” Warren added with a smile.

For Warren, who has worked his way up the pro ranks and is pushing to make an impact in Bridgeport this season, scoring on home ice carried extra meaning. “It was nice,” he said. “Good pass, saw the opening, and buried it. Pretty cool moment.”