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Mostly Cloudy Bitetto returns to Coliseum ice
Island Park native plays in sixth NHL game
While playing youth hockey in the Long Beach Apple Core program, Anthony Bitetto skated frequently on the ice at Nassau Coliseum and has fond memories of playing during intermission of New York Islanders’ games.
On Feb. 19, the 24-year-old native of Island Park was back at the Old Barn as a member of the visiting Nashville Predators. Bitetto, a smooth puck-moving 6-foot, 215-pound defenseman, logged more than 10 minutes of ice time in what was his sixth National Hockey League game—and fifth in 10 days—after being promoted for the second time this season. The Islanders won, 5-2.
Bitetto was in the starting lineup in a battle of first-place teams and made his presence felt on the opening shift, checking Matt Martin, the NHL leader in hits, hard against the boards.
“It was pretty special being out there,” Bitetto said after the game. “I entered the building in the same elevator I did as a kid, so it was a little surreal and brought back a lot of memories.
“We didn’t get the result we were looking for, but we’ve got a good thing going in Nashville and it’s great to be a part of it,” he added.
Before facing the Islanders, Bitetto helped the Predators put together a four-game home winning streak and vault to the top of the NHL in points with 84. They defeated Tampa Bay, Winnipeg, New Jersey and San Jose, stretching their overall win streak to six in a row. Bitetto averaged nearly 13 minutes of ice time during the homestand and played a career-high 14:12 against the Devils.
“He’s a good young defenseman,” Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette said. “We wanted to get a look at him.”
Bitetto, a 2008 West Hempstead High School graduate, made his NHL debut Jan. 17 in Detroit after being recalled from the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. He had two goals and 23 assists in 47 games with Milwaukee, where he reported after his sophomore campaign (2011-12) at Northeastern University. In his first full season in the AHL, Bitetto registered 11 goals, including six on the power play, and 25 assists.
