Islanders feeling optimistic despite consecutive shutout losses
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton and Islanders left wing Anders Lee fight during the third period of an NHL game Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y. Credit: AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes
No one believed it was going to be easy.
No one expected it was going to be easy.
So no, the Islanders are not particularly worried about the step up in weight class they are about to take this week. Aware of it? Yes. But awed by it? Certainly not.
“We have tough games, tough schedule,” Patrick Roy said after a 20-minute practice at Northwell Health Ice Center early Friday afternoon. “It’s a good challenge.”
After a 2-2-0 road trip that took them to California and Buffalo, the Islanders face a four-game stretch beginning Saturday afternoon at UBS Arena against Ottawa. That will be followed by a Sunday matinee at the Garden against the Rangers, a home game Tuesday night against the Hurricanes and a road game on Thursday night against the Red Wings.
“That’s what I said to Anders [Lee] this morning,” Roy said. “‘Is there something we can do to help you guys feel good?’ And he said no. ‘We’ve got this.’ It’s up to us to use the energy of our fans tomorrow and try to get back on the winning track.”
Although the Islanders (29-22-14, 72 points) are coming off consecutive 3-0 and 4-0 losses to the Kings and Sabres, they still hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conferencew, four points behind Tampa Bay (35-25-6). The Islanders also are four points behind Philadelphia (34-25-8) for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
The games against the Rangers and Hurricanes could be previews of Stanley Cup first-round playoff series and the game against Detroit likely will factor into the Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Islanders could catch the Lightning for the first wild-card berth and meet the Rangers in a playoff series for the first time since 1993-94 or claim third in the division and play Carolina for the second straight spring.
“Obviously, there’s a back-to-back coming up and one of [the games] is against probably the biggest rival,” Mike Reilly said. “Carolina [is] coming into town, too, and that’s a really good team.”
Even though both the Red Wings and the Islanders have 72 points apiece, the Islanders’ .554 points percentage is slightly better than Detroit’s .545. The Red Wings have dropped seven straight dating to the Islanders’ 5-3 win on Feb. 29 at Little Caesars Arena.
“Detroit, obviously they’re in a little skid right now. But they’re obviously still in the mix for the playoffs,” Reilly said. “That’s a really good team.”
To that end, Reilly and Roy believe the Islanders need to get back to their forechecking game in order to be successful.
“We got away from that,” Roy said, referencing the losses in Los Angeles and Buffalo. “The first guy goes hard but the second guy sometimes flies by instead of staying inside of the battle . . . I feel like we just need to go back to this.”
Notes & quotes: Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower-body injury) was a full participant in practice and Brock Nelson was given a personal day. Roy said Nelson will play against the Senators. Roy said Bortuzzo, who has not played since Jan. 4, “looked good.”
