New York Islanders' gritty win against the Ottawa Senators shows encouraging signs

The New York Islanders pulled out a gritty 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. The win provided the Isles with two much-needed points in the standings. But beyond the points themselves, the win highlighted a crucial trend underlying the Isles’ recent performances: Resilience.

Over the last two games, the Islanders seemed to have found another gear in their game. Instead of folding as we’ve seen in previous games, The New York Islanders have seemingly been able to reach down and find that extra something to get them back into the game.

We saw that in the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. With the Islanders down 3-1 at about the eight-minute mark of the third period, the Isles clawed their way back. The Islanders not only came back to tie the game, they won it in the shootout.

On Thursday night, the Islanders didn’t need to come from behind. Instead, they pushed back against a tough Senators team. After a scoreless first period, Anders Lee and JG Pageau scored late in the second to give the Isles a 2-0 lead.

Then, Oliver Wahlstrom got his first of the season to seemingly put the Isles in the driver’s seat. But then, an all-too-familiar beast began emerging out of the water. The Isles gave up two goals to make the game 3-2. It was as if another third-period collapse was unfolding.

That’s when the Isles’ resilience kicked in. The club locked the game down, adding an empty-netter to ice it. That late-game performance has to be the most encouraging sign of all. The Isles are no longer a team that folds when things get tough. They hang on till the end.

Resilience the code word under Patrick Roy

Patrick Roy has been about as tough as any coach the Isles have had in recent memory. He’s been critical of players but has also been supportive and transparent. While he’s made questionable calls such as benching Samuel Bolduc after one bad turnover, Roy has been on target more often than not.

Roy has transmitted the need for resilience to his players. With so many regulars on IR, there’s no other way to make up for it other than sucking it up and digging deep down.

And, that’s exactly what the New York Islanders have been doing. The new, make-shift top line has been paying dividends. All three of Pageau, Lee, and Bo Horvat scored against the Senators. As a matter of fact, Horvat had a three-point night.

The Isles are currently playing playoff hockey style. They are grinding their way throughout the lineup, allowing players like Pageau and Lee to flourish in their new roles.

Hopefully, this trend will continue, allowing the Isles to climb up the Metro Division standings. While the Isles are hardly out of the woods, the last two games have provided significant positive signals.