Devils Troll Islanders' Move To Brooklyn Hard On Scoreboard, Then On Twitter

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Ouch.

As the Islanders continue preparations for their first regular season game at Barclays Center, some fans are still having a hard time coming to grips with the reality that for the first time since 1972 the team will not be calling Nassau Coliseum home.

The move to Brooklyn remains a point of contention among the diehards, with many hanging on to (false?) hope that the Isles may one day return to the only home they have ever known.

That said, leave it to the rival Devils to throw gasoline on the fire.

On Friday night, during the teams' preseason game at The Prudential Center, a "breaking news" segment was aired on the scoreboard showing a "reporter" standing in front of the coliseum -- empty parking lot and all -- as if to do a live shot.

Flustered, the reporter says "I'm live here at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island where ... there's nothing going on here." In the background tumble weeds blow by and there is the sound of crickets. As the segment ends, Billy Joel's "Moving Out" is heard.

Islanders fans ripped the gag on Twitter, calling it classless. Even some reporters jumped into the fray.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post came up with a zinger of his own, writing in his Sunday notes column, "So someone in the new Devils' hierarchy thought it was clever to play a scoreboard video during Friday's exhibition game against the Islanders showing that 'there is nothing going on' at Nassau Coliseum. The Islanders can repay the favor with a video from outside the Rock the second week of April."

Brooks was referring to the possibility that the rebuilding Devils won't qualify for the playoffs, while the Islanders are expected to challenge for the Metropolitan Division title.

As a result of the scoreboard troll job, expect more Islanders fans than usual to be in attendance at "The Rock" when the teams get together on Halloween for their first meeting of the season.