During a third period Tuesday night spent almost entirely in the defensive zone, Cal Clutterbuck circled the Islanders during a television timeout with the message: “Bear down, simple, get the puck off.”
The Islanders hung on for a 4-2 win over the Rangers, just as they hung on for a 2-0 win against the Predators two days earlier. It didn’t look like the way he talked about his image of holding the lead. He came a few months ago.
Instead, a veteran team did what it was supposed to do and got an ugly victory.
By the way, the head coach had no problem with that.
“This showed they had experience,” Roy said later of Clutterbuck’s effort. “He calmed everyone down. Sometimes, it’s even better if it comes from the players themselves. We had a little bit of trouble getting the puck out of the zone. He told our players that the agenda was We made it clear that we were going to stay put and make sure we did a better job of getting the puck out and that’s what we did in the end. We were better at those clears and we were able to finish it. It’s done.
“Sometimes you can’t do anything fancy. Sometimes it is, but it’s just so effective.”
A lot happens this time of year about how the Islanders have been here before and know what it takes to win games like the playoffs. Well, there might be something to it.
All that could still change, but at least for now, it’s not much of a coincidence that three older teams, the Islanders, Capitals, and Penguins, are ahead of the upstart Red Wings and Flyers in search of a new bite. I don’t think so. playoff race.
The Islanders don’t seem to be making a fuss over Peter Laviolette’s comments on Tuesday — Roy seemed a mixture of surprised and annoyed that he kept being asked about the conflict between Adam Pelech and Mika Zibanejad. – and they’re not thinking about anything other than Thursday’s game against Pelech. Canadians.
Roy was asked Tuesday morning about a potential playoff matchup against the Rangers.
“I’m not there. I’m sorry,” he said.
There’s no doubt that the Islanders are a little older and a little slower. But what is more important at this time than at other times is spirituality and pure will power. And there’s a lot of that on this team.
The Islanders’ 10 points in their last five games includes their ugliest win all season.
But entering Thursday, they are two points behind the Capitals for third place in the metro with four games left in the season.
“I think there are always new opportunities in front of us,” Clutterbuck said. “Two nights from now we could have another one-point lead, and we could not have another one-point lead. And you can make the same argument for different times of the year.
“I think every night is personal, and every time I go out in the third period, I think there’s a challenge and I have to accomplish it. I can’t help it.”
