UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Sparky the Dragon, the toothy yet friendly Islanders mascot, was poised for interaction as the Anaheim Ducks took the ice for pregame warm-ups recently at Nassau Coliseum.

With his intense stare and a fuzzy blue snout that never breathes fire, Sparky trudged out from the visiting team’s canopy-covered runway in clown-size sneakers before he was engulfed by shrieking fans of the Ducks.

Sparky playfully mocked the guests from Southern California, even nipping the head of a laughing Ducks fan in a black jersey when she requested a photo with him.

He brushed his furry arms, as if to dismiss remnants of the encounter with rival fans, and tramped off to meet the next mob eager for his dragonesque attention.