The Islanders already announced they were selling 3,000 tickets for $10 apiece to 10 early-season games.

Bird played only six early-season games before being lost to injury.

Playing indoors also eliminates some of those early-season games in the cold.

He began the 2008-09 season with the Bulls, receiving marginal minutes in two early-season games.

Mayfield illustrates the point with a moment from an early-season game.

Then in a cold, early-season 19-inning game, he irritated the shoulder further.

Jay Horwitz, the club's public relations director for the past 25 years, said he could not remember an early-season game generating such anticipation.

What about the penalty for losing early-season games, as Colorado did?

Ash recalled an early-season game that he said was critical to undermining the team's confidence.

Three early-season games had to be rescheduled due to various events.