The NY Islanders' successful road trip can serve as a launchpad for the remainder of the season

Certain moments can propel teams to winning seasons, and while it’s not a singular moment, the NY Islanders may have just had theirs, capping off a seven-game road trip with a 6-1 record following their 5-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings.

Taking 12 of a possible 14 points, the Islanders appear to be clicking on all cylinders, defeating some of the League’s top teams on their 12-day road trip.

The NY Islanders cap off a successful road trip

Considering the opponents they were up against, this road trip had the potential to be catastrophic for the Islanders, leaving them playing catch-up in the standings. But after their 6-1 record, they have 26 points through 22 games, sitting in third place in the Metro Division, trailing the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes by just two points. 

“What we see is clarity,” Patrick Roy said. “We know if we play the way we’re playing, we could win a lot of hockey games.”

Ilya Sorokin, who struggled out of the gate this season, has turned things around significantly over the course of this road trip. Over five games, the Russian netminder completed the trip with a 4-1 record, .948 SV%, and 1.59 GAA. 

Teams typically prefer to have a long road trip early in the season, as it allows bonding time without the distractions of home. While most of this team has played together for years, there are still four new everyday players, including three rookies. If bonding is what this team needed, they certainly achieved that. 

The team is playing with swagger, and will now look to build on an extremely successful seven-game road trip with a seven-game home stand beginning on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.