Patrick Roy seeks to cut down Islanders' turnovers
Islanders left wing Pierre Engvall sets before a faceoff against the Canucks in the first period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on Jan. 9. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Statistics are starting to reflect the changes new coach Patrick Roy is trying to implement with the Islanders. They are possessing the puck more in the offensive zone, thereby creating more shots on net.
But turnovers are still hindering the Islanders. They entered Saturday night’s game against the Panthers at UBS Arena — Roy’s fourth behind the bench and the Islanders’ last before their eight-day All-Star break — having lost two straight. That included Thursday’s 4-3 defeat in Montreal as two avoidable turnovers by Pierre Engvall led to the Canadiens’ second and fourth goals, the last one the winner.
“Pierre is going to be fine,” Roy said. “He’s a very good hockey player. Today it was just good that we have those conversations. I explained to guys, I explained to Pierre. He knows exactly what I thought. He’s an important player on our team. Sometimes it’s just, ‘OK, we need a little more from you.’ And I know I’m going to get more from him.”
Roy ran an intensive, high-energy, teaching-heavy morning skate on Saturday focusing on breakouts, specifically how the Islanders should be navigating through the neutral zone. It was the next step in the building process of installing his overall system.
The Islanders took a season-high 46 shots against the Canadiens. This followed their previous season high of 42 shots in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to visiting Vegas. The Islanders were outshot 43-28 in a 3-2 overtime win over the visiting Stars a week ago in Roy’s debut.
“I’m not sure,” center Brock Nelson said when asked why the Islanders have improved their puck possession so quickly. “It’s good on Patty the way he’s explained things. What he sees and what he wants from the guys.”
Top-line right wing Mathew Barzal said the changes are the result of the Islanders now having a more aggressive mindset.
“I feel like, just look at our team,” Barzal said. “Wins-losses is one thing, but at the end of the day, we’re building a blueprint that is going to allow us to become champions. That’s really what it is. I feel like there’s a lot of trust in this room with that blueprint. That’s the biggest thing is the blueprint right now. I like where we’re headed.”
The Islanders, though, will have to get there fast to reach the playoffs this season.
They entered Saturday’s game fifth in the Metropolitan Division, four points out of a wild-card spot and with 33 games left once the season resumes in Toronto on Feb. 5.
So Roy is working to cut down the turnovers.
“It’s my job to make the guys accountable,” Roy said. “I have to single out, in our meetings, and say, ‘We need to stop this. This is an individual thing. We need to be better individually.’
“Sometimes it has nothing to do with your structure. It’s just to do with your focus and the way you play the game. And that’s what I want to make sure we work at. And it’s our job, the coaching staff, to make them accountable.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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