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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
Besides the final score, Patrick Roy had more to like last night than in his winning Isles coaching debut. Despite the loss, the players viewed the effort as a step forward, and the coach agreed with that assessment.
“Sometimes the hockey gods are not on your side. Tonight that was the case. I saw a lot of good things.” - Patrick Roy
The stats will show that the Islanders played one of their better games of the season. They had 82 total shot attempts (2nd most this season) and 16 high-danger chances compared to just six for the Vegas Golden Knights.
For the most part of the game, the Islanders did what they wanted to with the puck and dictated the play, creating plenty of scoring chances. The problem is the miscues and mistakes have yet to leave their system, and a pair of defensive zone turnovers and a bad goal allowed in the second period were the difference.
Roy's most-used word in the post-game was “progression." He’s been pleasantly surprised by how quickly his team has adapted to his messaging and points of emphasis - all without a full practice. There was more zone time, better breakouts, and fewer turnovers. All positive signs.
If they play that type of game, they’ll come out on the long side more times than not, but with every two points crucial, it’s disappointing to not earn any on a night when you’re play was most deserving of it.
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