Islanders follow up big win with lackluster flop in loss to Flames
There’s a lot of optimism around the Islanders right now, but scoring points in the playoff race has proven difficult. And on Saturday, Mackenzie Weegar’s hat trick handed the Isles their first loss since the All-Star break, with a 5-2 loss at home to the Flames, putting the home team just inches away from having […]
Patrick Roy’s one-on-one work with players paying off for Islanders
When Patrick Roy was playing, he never wanted his goalkeeping coach to show him his mistakes in front of the team. He preferred to review the tape in private so that his mistakes were not exposed to all his teammates watching. So as a coach, Roy focuses on doing one-on-one video work with his players […]
Islanders looking to build consistency — and their win streak
Just how bad things were for the Islanders before coach Lou Lamoriello pulled the trigger on the coaching change comes with the realization that Thursday’s win over the Lightning was their first back-to-back wins since Dec. 13. be. That’s nearly two months, during which season-long instability swirled around the Isles and nearly derailed the year. […]
Suddenly-resurgent Islanders dominate Lightning
In their first five games under coach Patrick Roy, the Islanders have understandably looked like a team in transition. I got used to the new system pretty well, but there were some bumps along the way. In Game 6, it looked like a team that had fully bought into what their new head coach preached. […]
Casey Cizikas returning as Islanders are finally healthy
The Islanders activated Casey Cizikas from long-term injured reserve on Thursday morning, marking the first return to a healthy lineup in a while for a team that has dealt with injury issues since opening night. Cizikas, who injured his lower body while blocking a shot by Filip Hronek on Jan. 9, has missed the last […]
Islanders hope strong game will be start of Ilya Sorokin turnaround
There are a lot of things that need to be fixed if the Islanders are to make the playoffs. However, getting the best out of Ilya Sorokin is non-negotiable. It would be harsh to say that Sorokin is far from being the Islanders’ biggest problem this season, or even an issue at all. The netminder […]
Islanders’ Patrick Roy change already showing signs of working
Perhaps the best way to understand how different the Islanders are playing under Patrick Roy is to start with this. In Monday’s 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs, the Isles iced the puck just twice. Understand, this wasn’t a game the Islanders completely dominated. Especially in the second half, the Leafs launched a fierce attack. […]
Islanders’ Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock defensive pairing reunited
TORONTO — Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are back with the Islanders. Adam Pelech and Ryan Purok pair up again. And all was well in the islanders’ world. Monday’s 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs marked the ninth time this season the Islanders started the night with a fully healthy defense and the first time […]
Islanders battle for badly needed win over Maple Leafs
TORONTO — If the Islanders are going to struggle over the next nine weeks to make the playoffs, Monday was a pretty good start. Patrick Roy said it’s playoff hockey from now on for the Islanders, and it certainly looked like that in their 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. The Isles […]
Islanders’ Oliver Wahlstrom continuing to get a shot under Patrick Roy
TORONTO — Before the All-Star break, Patrick Roy said he wanted to know if Oliver Wahlstrom was just a good practice player or a player who could contribute to the lineup. Heading into the Islanders’ first game after the hiatus, Roy likely thought he had enough to keep Wahlstrom getting shots. Not only did the […]