Islanders Fall to Flames, Coach Comments on Rookies
CALGARY, AB — Prior to the Islanders’ 4-2 defeat against the Flames on Saturday, coach Patrick Roy addressed remarks he made a couple of days earlier regarding Matthew Schaefer. The gist was that there was an expectation for Schaefer to eventually hit the rookie wall, but so far, that hasn’t happened.
Schaefer’s rookie journey has certainly been unexpected. Conversely, fellow rookie Cal Ritchie is taking a more standard route. He might not carry the same No. 1 overall reputation as Schaefer, but he’s still seen as a promising prospect.
On Calgary’s second goal, Ritchie got boxed out by Adam Klapka in front of the net, and that moment should be acknowledged as part of his development.
This goal prompted Roy to mix up the line combinations, occasionally moving Ritchie around during a game where the entire Islanders team struggled to capitalize on scoring chances.
Overall, though, Roy seems pleased with how Richie is playing. “He did really well against the Oilers,” Roy mentioned before the game. “I was very satisfied, especially with Duclair’s power play goal.” It’s clear Roy appreciates Richie’s contributions.
There were moments where Richie’s struggles were offset by flashes of brilliance. For instance, he made a nice spin-o-rama pass to Duclair even on a night when his line didn’t manage a single shot on goal. He also assisted on Anders Lee’s goal when the team was trying to rally back.
Roy’s philosophy with Schaefer appears to be straightforward: just let him play.
And interestingly, it doesn’t seem much different when it comes to Richie.
“Nobody really watched over me when I was out there,” Roy said. “So, let [him] play freely.”
Looking ahead, when David Rittich was asked about returning to Calgary, he didn’t express any sentimental feelings about facing his former team. “No, not at all,” he said. “Most of the players in that locker room are new to me. Sure, there are memories, but nothing too nostalgic.”
The Flames didn’t seem to share any particular sentiments toward Ritchie either. Despite it being his 250th career start, he missed out on winning against his old team, leaving his record at 0 wins and 4 losses against Calgary across six games.
