NY Islanders propensity for imperfect wins a sign of increased team confidence

New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy didn’t pretend Saturday’s 3–2 shootout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning was perfect. But the Islanders’ head coach made one thing clear: his team has learned how to win in different ways — and it may be the biggest sign yet of how far the club has come.

Roy praised the Islanders’ “really good first period,” where they built a 2–0 lead and dictated the pace. But a string of second-period penalties, he said, shifted momentum sharply. “They have a very good power play and that gave them the momentum,” Roy said. “But coming back to the dressing room still up by one goal — that was one of the key moments in the game.”

The Lightning controlled possession for much of the night, but Ilya Sorokin erased mistake after mistake with what Roy called an “outstanding” performance. Roy noted that at five-on-five, the Islanders allowed just 24 or 26 shots. “He made things look simple,” Roy said. “That’s when you know someone is in his zone and playing some really good hockey.”

Roy credited Sorokin — and backup David Rittich — for giving the Islanders confidence even when games tighten late or go beyond regulation. “It’s day and night,” Roy said of the team’s mindset in overtime and shootouts. “We came with joy, compassion, boldness, swagger. Staying in the present moment — it makes a difference.”

Roy also praised the team’s defensive resilience in a game where Tampa Bay “closed fast” and made sustaining offensive zone pressure difficult. The focus, he said, returned in the third period. “There are nights where you’ve got to defend well,” Roy said. “And that’s what our guys did.”

The coach highlighted strong performances from Jonathan Drouin in his return, the Cal Ritchie line, and another clutch shootout goal from Emil Heineman — now 3-for-3 in shootout attempts this season. “I’m very happy with the performance of the team,” Roy said. “Even if we lose key players, someone always steps up.”

And yes, Roy is aware the Islanders briefly climbed to first in the Eastern Conference standings. “It just shows us that what we’re doing, we’re doing the right thing,” he said. “I’m so proud of them. They deserve so much credit for what they’ve been doing. It’s exciting for our franchise.”