The New York Islanders are giving fans another chance to hear one of the most unforgettable anthem performances of last season.
Dominick Critelli, the 105-year-old World War II veteran who stunned UBS Arena in December, is set to return Saturday night for the team’s home opener against the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders announced that Critelli will once again play the national anthem on saxophone, bringing back the man whose last appearance left more than 17,000 people in the building buzzing.
His earlier performance before an Islanders-Rangers game turned into one of the signature moments of the season. Critelli walked onto the ice with help from the Islanders’ Energy Team, settled in with his soprano saxophone and played a version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that had the crowd chanting “U-S-A” as the rivalry briefly gave way to something bigger.
Critelli’s connection to the song runs far deeper than the spotlight of a packed arena. A decorated Army staff sergeant who survived the Battle of the Bulge, he came to the United States from Italy when he was 8 years old. He started playing saxophone at 13 and, by his own account, has never stopped.
“I lost a lot of friends,” he said last season, referring to fellow soldiers who never returned home. “I’m doing this for them.”
Now living in Floral Park, Critelli still practices for an hour every day. His home is lined with medals and reminders of his military service, and an American flag flies outside.
Even with all the attention that comes with performing in front of a huge crowd, Critelli keeps the anthem personal.
“I mean, is there any better song to play than 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?" he said. "Beautiful, you put your heart in it."
Saturday’s opener will give Islanders fans another shot to salute him before the game begins. If his last performance is any guide, this one will be hard to top.
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