Patrick Roy admits mistake but damage done in pulling Lennox in NY Islanders loss

New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy owned up to making the wrong decision, but the criticism received for removing rookie goaltender Tristan Lennox after allowing a goal on his second shot faced, is still warranted.

Trailing 6-1, Roy pulled starter Marcus Hogberg and replaced him with Lennox, a 22-year-old, who had started only four games in Bridgeport and was an emergency call-up with Ilya Sorokin out with an upper-body injury. After making his first save, Lennox allowed a five-hole goal to Brett Berard and was promptly pulled by Roy, invoking criticism from fans on social media.

“Maybe I should have kept [Högberg in], said Roy during the post-game. "The kid didn’t have a chance to practice. I thought that was unfair to him, to put him out there like this. That’s why I put Marcus back in. Didn’t want to expose him and put him in a tough spot. The chances we were giving, they were two-on-ones and three-on-twos. I didn’t think it was fair for the first game."

“After the sixth goal, I wanted to give a break to Marcus [Högberg], mentally more than anything else,” Roy said. “And I put Lennox in. When I saw the first goal — it’s on me." His intentions may not have been to embarrass the young goaltender, but that was the result. He said he would speak to Lennox about it on Friday, but it's uncertain whether Lennox will see NHL ice again to get a better lasting memory than the one that transpired on Thursday night.

"It rubs me the wrong way," stated Thomas Hickey during the MSG Networks post-game. "I really fell for him. That may be the only chance he gets to play in the NHL. To me, that makes no sense, the poor kid he faced two shots, he let in one ... why take him out there, sort of embarassing to the young guy ... it doesn't sit well with me at all."

Lennox, a 2021 third-round pick (93rd overall), saw limited action in the AHL this season due to injuries. In four games with Bridgeport, Lennox has posted an 0-3-0 record, a 4.44 goals-against average, and a .832 save percentage. Over five seasons with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, Lennox compiled a 59-45-7 record with a 3.26 GAA, .887 SV%, and four shutouts.