Islanders Blanked 4-0 in MSG: Room’s Devastated Reaction

NEW YORK — The New York Rangers (31-26-4) shut out the New York Islanders (27-26-7) 4-0 on Monday night in Madison Square Garden. The loss resembled some of the worst hockey of the entire season.

The Islanders got off to a fast start, recording five shots in the first 10 or so minutes of the game. For the rest of the game, they registered just 16. In the middle of 40 minutes, they recorded all of 10 shots.

To make it even worse, down 2-0 heading into the third period against their biggest rivals, the Islanders recorded zero (0) shots on goal for the third period’s first seven and a half minutes. They fired just two over the first 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Rangers fired nine shots and scored a goal in the same time span.

Oh, by the way, the Rangers played last night. The Islanders had the night off. What should’ve been a desperate, hungry team looked like a disinterested one.

All night long, the Islanders were plagued by turnovers. Their passing was sloppy, with icings all over the game. The créme de la créme  came off the stick of Anthony DeAngelo. He sent a slow pass that J.T. Miller tipped to Artemi Panarin. Then, DeAngelo tried to check Panarin, who slipped the puck back to Miller for a 2-on-1 rush.

Miller kept it and rifled home the dagger. It wasn’t a close game. The only push the Islanders had came early. What changed it was when Anders Lee had a first-period goal wiped off the board for offsides.

From that moment on, the Rangers outshot the Islanders 23-16. The Islanders poured about six shots on late in the game to make that look better than it was. The Rangers tactically outclassed the Islanders.

Pelech’s Disappointment in Self:

Postgame, the Islanders deflected questions left and right about the pending trade deadline. Adam Pelech denied it affected their mentality but did admit he wasn’t proud of his own after William Cuylle made it 1-0.

Pelech could be seen raising his glove and shaking it out of frustration as if to say “How the ____ did that happen?’

Said Pelech, “I shouldn’t be doing that. I should have better body language. But yeah, it was just kind of a ridiculous bounce. That was my initial reaction, but there are bounces in this game that can go either way. Unfortunately, that one didn’t go our way, but I’ve got to have better body language than that.

I’m kind of disappointed in myself.”

Then, I asked Pelech specifically about the team’s reaction to Lee’s disallowed goal and why it changed the game in such an apparent manner:

“We just need to have a better response. These are huge games for us. Every point is important. We just need to have a better response, even if things aren’t going our way.”

His responses said it all.

Palmieri, Lee Echo the Sentiment:

Kyle Palmieri spoke on his disappointment from a player who may not be on the team in just a few days:

“I think as a group we’re disappointed in ourselves. What kind of message that sends to whoever it is, we’re the guys in the room that control it.”

Anders Lee shared the frustration. The room felt heavier, but Lee denied that anybody was hanging their heads. “It doesn’t feel like we’re 1-4 since the break. But that’s the reality of it, unfortunately. We just got to push through it.”

The good news for Lee is he’s right. They aren’t 1-4 since the break. They are 2-3-0. That Freudian slip perhaps opens up exactly where the Islanders’ psyche is at this point in time.

Patrick Roy’s Comments:

Roy held his shortest postgame of the season tonight. In his brief presser, he denied that New York’s effort was the issue: “I don’t know if I’m disappointed with the effort. I would be disappointed more with the result. I thought both teams were playing pretty much the same after 40 minutes of play. Not many chances on both sides, and they had the bounce, and we didn’t.”

All season, no matter the circumstances, Roy has remained positive. He rarely lets it rip publicly on his players, even after efforts like this one.

When asked if he felt time was running out, Roy denied that as well. He pointed to last season, when he faced the same questions.

However, Roy did tip his hand. First, he admitted the Islanders didn’t play a style he expected. Rare for a coach to admit. Then, he commented on the Islanders’ inability to get shots on net and his frustration showed in his words:

“We have to find ways to throw more pucks in the net. Even when we pull the goalie six on five, we need to throw those pucks in the net. I don’t know why we try those plays. I guess we’re a little stubborn at times. But we gotta find a way to simplify things and throw those pucks in the net.”

Roy’s admission the team still isn’t playing the way he’d like consistently through 60 games says it all. The trade deadline is coming up on Friday.

In their penultimate game before the deadline, the team sent one crystal clear message: Time to sell.