Patrick Roy’s Bold Move After Islanders’ Heartbreaking Loss Will Leave You Speechless

Islanders’ Patrick Roy shares a significant silver lining from a tough Stadium Series defeat

Patrick Roy and the New York Islanders held a three-goal advantage in the 2024 Stadium Series matchup against the New York Rangers, setting them up for a significant triumph. However, the game took a different turn as the Rangers managed to stage a comeback and secure a victory in overtime, leaving their fellow New Yorkers in search of answers.

Following the defeat, some Islanders players expressed the pain of the loss on Sunday. Despite the disappointment, not everyone viewed the outcome negatively. Head coach Patrick Roy, in particular, chose to focus on the positives from the loss and highlighted them while addressing the media post-game.

“In my coaching perspective, I’m optimistic about our performance,” Roy stated, as reported by NHL.com. “Although the late penalties were costly, we executed many positive aspects. Our 5-on-5 play reflected our desired style of hockey, and I believe we put together a strong game overall.”

Islanders’ Patrick Roy stays upbeat after defeat in Stadium Series against Rangers

In Roy’s view, his team had the game in its hands. New York played a sound game against their intra-state rivals on Sunday afternoon. In the end, they couldn’t hold onto the lead, and they let that ever-important second point slip away. But the positives are still there for Roy and the Islanders to see.

“We played them with a good pace. We competed well, we had our chances. [Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin] made a great save on (Brock) Nelson midway through the third period. … To me, it’s a very positive game for us. Calls didn’t go our way, and they scored on those,” the Islanders head coach said, via NHL.com.

New York is actively competing for a playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Nonetheless, the recent loss has intensified the pressure on the team. The Islanders are currently behind the Detroit Red Wings by four points for the final wild card spot and also need to overtake the New Jersey Devils, who won their Stadium Series game on Saturday.

Despite the result, Patrick Roy is content with his team’s effort and maintains a positive outlook. It will be interesting to see how the Hockey Hall of Famer and his team respond to the setback. One certainty is that the next few weeks will be crucial for the Islanders’ playoff hopes.