New York Islanders Practice Availability | (11/12/25)

um been a few days since you know you had a really high powered win in New Jersey, but when you look at the past two games, what’s been working so well among the whole team in those two wins? Yeah, I mean I think um I think we’re we’re taking care of our own end first for sure um first and foremost, but I think uh no, I think we’re just we’re more of a fiveman unit out there all the time and um obviously all four lines are kind of are going right now and obviously that helps um in the team team aspects of things too. We just got to keep that going. when you face a team like Vegas, one that’s kind of known as a measuring stick around the league, but also a team that is desperate to snap a three-game losing streak. What’s the key going into tomorrow? Yeah, I think jump on them early. You know, this building has a lot of energy, a lot of uh um a lot of buzz to it. So, um I think for us getting off to a good start, um you know, not not getting, you know, far behind, um you know, and kind of hopefully, you know, getting a lead, um would definitely help us here. Um especially being on the road. But yeah, our start’s going to be important and obviously playing a full 60 minutes. Of course, your hot hand and hot streak recently has been, you know, that the top story, but you said the shots are just going in, but what is that difference in the game of of why you found so much success to start the year? Yeah, I mean, I think um you know, obviously when you have confidence, you know, things uh things seem to go your way, but you know, my linemates have been great uh no matter who I’ve been playing with. And you know, just trying to bury the opportunities when they come. Um, you know, for me, um, you know, contributing, uh, at both ends of the rink is is part of my game, and thankfully they’re going in right now. I just got to keep that going. We had like a hot start to the season. Do you ever think about other other seasons in the past where you had a really strong start? How does that set the tone for the rest of the year? Yeah, I think uh I mean, obviously it builds confidence early, which is huge. Um, and you know, for me and the team getting off to, you know, a pretty good start, I think is, you know, just kind of propels you forward for for the rest of the year and and makes you hungry for more. Um, you know, and um, building that confidence really is a big part of uh, the success of our team and and obviously myself as well. How did you approach your off season in training camp? Anything different or same routine, but how did you what was your mindset? Um I kind of maybe focused on um you know the goal scoring aspect of things obviously burying my opportunities in practice and and um you know trying to you know find different ways to to score goals and I mean obviously it’s been working so far this year and you know I think for me being um you know explosive as well u in my skating trying to to have that difference in my game too is uh has definitely helped me. You mentioned your linemates earlier. I think back to that goal you had in New Jersey where Paul Mary was able to find you alone in the slot. Just uh what’s been that chemistry like between Paul Mary and and Hineiman over the past few games? Yeah, they’re they’re both really smart players. Obviously, Heine’s got, like I’ve said multiple times, lots of speed and and uh his work ethic and and um you know, the kind of the the skill takes over um you know, after that and and Palms is just such a smart player um both at both ends of the rank and can make little plays like that like he did in New Jersey and um they’ve been fun to play with and uh like I said, we just got to continue to keep getting better. Believe eight of your goals were off the rush. What’s the key to getting your shot off without much time to really set up in the in the ozone? Yeah, I mean, you just don’t have a lot of time. um to get it off in this league and any any edge that you can get to get that off in a hurry is definitely going to help you. Sure, it’s nice to kind of get the legs moving with the day off and a practice day before the game tomorrow night, but just what was the focus day in practice? Uh get into some stuff uh with our system uh and like you said, get the legs going a little bit uh after a long flight and stuff. It was good good practice out there today. A lot of fun. Uh guys joking around, so good feel. you look back at the past two wins against two pretty intense rivals. What were the keys to winning both of those games and how can you bring that momentum into tomorrow night? I think we played a solid 200 foot game to be honest. It was a uh really good defensive game first of all. Uh and then we managed to score off our chances. Uh big goal by Palms at the end there. Uh but overall really good like 60 minutes and and good defensively too. So, uh, I like the way we’ve been we’ve been playing. And your line with Horvat and Pomeier, what’s been clicking so well as of late? Yeah, we we’ve been working hard, battling and winning pucks back uh and creating from that. I I think we uh we have a good mix of of uh finding each other out there. So, uh no, it’s it’s been clicking well. Uh and we have to keep going. You and Bo Horvette have combined for some pretty nice goals off the rush. What’s the key to dishing a good assist or or scoring off the rush without much time to really set up? Uh yeah, we’ve been coming in in a few ones actually. It’s uh but I mean he’s a really good passer. So to be honest, when he has it, just just get open and be ready cuz it it’ll come flat on your on your tape. Uh for me it I think that one uh in New Jersey or uh in Rangers was uh it was it was a good stretch by him uh to stay on side. Uh so no it’s we’ve been keeping it quite simple too. We’re not trying to do too much of a two-on-one just maybe get one pass and then a shot. So uh we know we’re good shooters so uh we have to get it off too. you mentioned kind of knowing where he is on the ice and you guys can kind of find each other, but you know, what’s the key to that? Is it is it time playing together? Is it just um high IQ, but what what’s the secret sauce there? Uh most of it is basically communication out there. Uh that’s probably the one thing that’s when you start playing together, that’s probably the one thing you have to to to start get going to. But overall like uh both of those guys is is they’re good at placing in standing in the right spot. So uh they’re good in finding the open areas too. So it’s when you get it you see them quick and and uh uh yeah they’re open. So uh you’re really good at finding those spots. Both of those guys pretty solid, you know, veteran presence on on your line. What have you learned from them in over the past few months? uh like the details of really like the certain like critical areas uh around the blue lines, those types of plays and and uh I mean we’re still not trying to do way too much with the puck when when we get on the rush or anything to we know we’re we’re able to win it back. We we still trying to go straight to the net, shoot it, and then we win the second puck. So, uh, I think that’s that’s the most the biggest part we’ve been creating. Uh, but obviously we uh, yeah, they’re really good players. So, we we have finding a little bit of chemistry actually. Yeah, a lot of games coming up. I don’t know how many practices you’re going to have. Just how important was it to get on the ice today? Actually, I think we have only two practice till the end of the month. So, uh, we had one before getting on the road and then we had one today. So, they are important. I mean, we want to make sure that we continue to work on our structure and things that are uh we’re going to see in our games. I mean, we’re playing uh very good teams on that road trip since the start of that road trip actually, Rangers, Devils, and then we’re going to play here to uh tomorrow and then Utah, Colorado, Dallas, and Detroit. So, they’re they’re they’re important. It’s important for us to, you know, to feel good about our game and and we’ve been playing well on the road so far. Does does the morning skates change in any way when you don’t have practice time? Do you have to incorporate a little bit more? No. No. No. Might do a little more video than than uh you know just want to get a routine with the the morning skate. The guys touch the puck, feel the puck. I feel like I feel like I don’t want them to think too much, you know, just let the game play just play the game. So feel like it’s easier that way in my opinion. Is the plan for Ilia to start tomorrow? Yes. And then David in Utah. And with Ilia, um, he seems to be playing the puck a lot more as of late. Is that something you’ve brought up? Is that Sergey? Is that him on his own? No, we’ve been doing a few drills where the goalie are moving the puck. We did we do it on every morning skate and we did it again today. Um, and I think more he’s going to face those situation in the practice. I think it’s going to help his game and and he’s going to be more involved. I love when I was playing to be involved in having those drills. So, I’m sure he loves it as well, but no, there was no no demand by us or or Sergey. I guess how important is Sorry, how important is that to help with breakouts when a goalie isn’t, you know, extra defenseman back there behind the net? Well, especially on rim if he stops it. I mean, certainly a lot easier than let it go, but um sometimes you you have no choice. I mean, so I mean um yeah, it does help. I’m sorry. Go ahead. What’s made Sroken so effective in his last four starts? I just feel like he’s playing with confidence right now. I mean, he’s he’s on top of the crease. He’s he’s reading plays well. Um, and you could tell when someone’s confident makes a big difference in your game. Uh, good step for Shabbanov today or any timeline on progress or We’ll see. Um, I haven’t really talked to uh medical staff about him, but um he’s he was on the ice today wearing that that red jersey, which means non-cont jersey, and it’s good for him to touch the ice, be with the guys, and uh I see it as a very positive. Do you I was just happened to be glancing at the standings today and it’s incredible how compact it is. Do you look at this as like it is all there for us? There is an incredible opportunity for us. Yeah, I think everybody’s saying this, isn’t it? Yeah. Um, everybody believes that that it’s open and then it’s just a matter of getting hot and and winning some games and um that’s why this is an important road trip for us in some ways because you want to do well. I mean, every game you want to do well, but but I mean, we’re going to be a lot of games on the road, not as much as home. So, so if we could take advantage of that road trip, that’d be great. This team saw a lot of success last year in Vegas with the four nothing win in January. What’s the key to, you know, bringing that back for tomorrow? Well, I’m not going to focus on last year. I’m going to focus on this year. So, um, we just need to continue to do things that we’re doing well so far and and and um, seems to me that we’re playing well defensively. We’re cutting down on chances five on five and and I know PK was really good against probably the best power play in the league against Jersey and and when it they had chances I was there for us. I know we’re find out the status of Mayfield for tomorrow but if Mayfield’s not in are you just boas in his spot and keep the other pairings the same? Yeah, exactly.

Hear from Emil Heineman, Bo Horvat and Patrick Roy after today’s practice in Vegas.

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