Going The Distance

The Isles are proving they aren't another bum hockey team

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

Patrick Roy showed up to the rink inspired by the resilient play of his hockey team in recent weeks and by the movie “Rocky.”

The Islanders seem to always perform better in the underdog role, and if their position in the standings doesn’t provide enough adversity, they’ve been losing players about as frequently as they've picked up wins. The head coach found similarities between the Italian Stallion and his beaten-up team, which refuses to go down after receiving what should have been knockout blows in recent weeks.

“At the fight, Rocky was going, bouncing up and down, and Apollo [Creed] looked at him like, ‘What are you doing? Go down.’ And Rocky refuses to go down,” Roy said before the 2-1 win over Vegas. “You’re gonna say to me, yeah, it’s a movie. But I think we love people that refuse to go down.”

Despite registering only 14 shots, the fewest in a home win since October 10, 2011, vs. Minnesota, the Isles found a way to stay in the fight and win against one of the better teams in the Western Conference.

This team appears committed to going the distance this season and standing at the end, bruised and battered, with a goaltender playing elite hockey in their corner. Whether that has them standing in a playoff spot when the bell rings on the regular season waits to be seen, but for now, they’re showing the heart and perseverance of any good underdog story.