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New York Islanders

Islanders Room: Roy’s One Word Answer Says It All; Cholowski Exclusive

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Morgan Frost Celebrates his Second Period Goal with Owen Tippett // AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

ELMONT, NY– The New York Islanders (17-20-7) fell 5-3 to the Philadelphia Flyers (20-20-6) on Thursday night in UBS Arena. The Flyers scored three times in the second period as the Islanders melted down and seemingly cast their fate for the playoffs, a thing they’ll seemingly miss for the second time in four years, winning only 3 out of 11 playoff games against the Carolina Hurricanes in that time.



That type of statistic is enough to close the book on a chapter of a team. Let alone one with two key pending unrestricted free agents in Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. Add in valued players like Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who only has one more year on his deal, and you’ve got a recipe for turnover.

That’s not what the team wants, though. Just ask alternate captain Bo Horvat, who, when asked postgame about Team President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello’s imminent decision on this team’s fate, said, “We have to start winning games if we want everyone to stay.”

Roy’s One Word Answer:

While that sentiment is the consensus around any locker room, the team hasn’t played that way. Head Coach Patrick Roy has publicly called out the team for their effort on multiple occasions. Usually, the team replies with a strong statement.

Tonight, however, they did not. Asked postgame if he saw the hunger, Roy said, “No.” After a slight pause, he commended his team for coming out strong for the third period but reaffirmed the lack of hunger in their game.

That says it all. The Islanders, one game removed from falling to the Ottawa Senators, a team they’re directly chasing for a playoff spot and standings position, showed no fight and an utter lack of poise throughout the second period as the team wilted and allowed three straight goals.

The Noah Dobson play on Philadelphia’s second goal was as bad as it was concerning. Dobson has been far too inconsistent for the Islanders to feel remotely comfortable committing to him on a long-term contract.

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NYI Hockey Now Chats with Dennis Cholowski:

Dennis Cholowski struggled mightily, taking three minor penalties in the game tonight. The Islanders killed all three, but his early third-period penalty cost the Islanders momentum, and Philadelphia scored as he stepped out of the box to regain their two-goal lead.

After the game, Cholowski addressed the game from the team’s lens and his own.

First, he discussed his penalties, stating, “It’s very frustrating. On any of them, I’m obviously not trying to do any of it. One, a stick breaks. On another one, a guy falls over my stick, but it is what it is. It happens every once in a while, but what else can I do? I’ve got to move on and keep pushing.”

Asked about the team’s utter collapse in the second period, Cholowski said, “(It was) just one of those days, I guess. I don’t know how else to describe it. We have to keep pushing. What else can we even do?”

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