For the past five months, the Islanders have advertised a new era, and it could be felt building to a crescendo at Saturday’s home opener.

Everything from the game presentation at UBS Arena to the roster on the ice looked different. The 7 p.m. start time was a departure from what had previously been a standard 7:30 puck drop. The loudest roar in pregame warmups was for Matthew Schaefer. Of course.

And then … the Islanders went splat. 4

A new era, it turns out, does not reach its apex in five months. In their 4-2 loss to the Capitals on Saturday night, the Islanders showed that, no matter how sleek the marketing has been lately, there is still plenty of work to do before the on-ice product catches up.

Where Thursday had some encouraging notes even in defeat, there was much less of

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