Whether or not the current labor standoff gets in the way of the much-anticipated Oct. 2 New York Islanders preseason game in Brooklyn, the addition of a new arena to the scene with very real ice hockey prospects remains exciting.

Also exciting? Photos of this arena as the finishing touches -- including a freaking pro ice rink -- are applied. Our sibling blog on SB Nation, Nets Daily, has a bunch of Barclays Center photos as they anticipate the new home of the NBA Nets.

And for the puckheads among us: Well just check out this shot of the ice (via hulkingspider) freezing into shape. (Here's an earlier shot, too.) The nostalgic part of me loves the look of those virginal ad-free boards, but of course we know that won't last long in our [insert sponsor here] world.

Finally, in a not-at-all serious note, it appears the scoreboard in Brooklyn is fitted with its own periodic table.