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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
Happy Valentine’s Day! 💙🧡
Tough love was in the air at the Islanders’ practice on Monday.
Lane Lambert was in a salty (but not sweet) mood at Northwell Health Ice Center, raising his voice in an attempt to raise the play of his team after two disheartening losses that left the coach visibly frustrated.
As reports came in from beat writers of Lambert’s “new voice” at practice, one that took charge and set a no-nonsense tone, fans were left wondering where this was all season. Many of the mistakes that the Islanders were guilty of over the last two games have been evident throughout the year.
As Lambert sees it, little things keep happening that can’t happen. It hasn’t been one thing in particular, but in certain moments, big moments, the Islanders have too often lacked the edge, physicality, and attention to detail that’s necessary to win consistently.
Those were all points of emphasis during the high-tempo practice on Monday, one that saw Lambert repeatedly stop drills to correct and call out players. He implored them to skate, talk and play to the whistle.
So why yesterday?
Lambert called it a “practice day,”- explaining that there are work days that are different than “practice,” which he described as skating between games three and four of a road trip or homestand. I’ll buy that, it was only their fifth such day since Dec. 5, but this felt like an overdue, calculated move to take a different approach with his veteran team at a critical juncture of the season.
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