Islanders Coach Reflects on Preseason Loss
After suffering a 4-2 defeat to the Devils at UBS Arena on Friday, Patrick Roy, the Islanders’ coach, attempted to maintain a positive outlook but ultimately acknowledged that his team has significant work ahead, particularly in even-strength situations.
“We’ve been focusing a lot on special teams lately. We’ve had a mix of power plays, penalty kills, and 5-on-5 work, maybe too much so,” Roy mentioned. “The key focus point over the initial few days has been figuring out where players fit in. We’re working on our power play and penalty kill, but, frankly, there wasn’t much of that tonight.”
He added, “We’re still at that stage with our 5-on-5 play. We also need to solidify our forechecks and improve our overall structure. The goal is to handle the neutral zone better and make our breakouts more consistent.”
Given the struggles the Islanders faced with special teams last season, putting extra emphasis on this area was a conscious decision. However, assessing performances during the preseason is tricky, especially when rosters often blend NHL-level talent with AHL players.
Throughout the game, the Islanders appeared somewhat stagnant, failing to generate significant opportunities near their net. When summarizing the positives from Friday’s match, Roy mentioned players like Matthew Schafer, Marshall Warren, Greb Beremiev, Cameron Berg, and Ilya Sorokin, notably without mentioning any seasoned NHL veterans.
“At this stage, we’re not too concerned about wins or losses; it’s more about preparation for the regular season,” Roy said. “Did we take a positive step today? Not really.”
Sorokin played all 60 minutes in his first action of the preseason, making 23 saves on 26 shots. Roy indicated that Sorokin would have one more full game before the season starts.
Ethan Bear exited the game midway through the third period and did not return. Roy had no additional information on his condition afterward.
Anders Lee participated in practice wearing a red non-contact jersey, but no official updates regarding his status were provided.
The Islanders also made several cuts to their training camp roster, sending Alex Jeffries, Joey Larson, Matt Maggio, Kare Odelius, Cam Tees, and Henrik Tikkanen to AHL Bridgeport. Liam Hoodie, Julian Gautier, Cole McWard, and Trivis Mitchell were reassigned as well.
