New York Islanders Pregame Availability | NYI at VGK (11/13/25)

New York Islanders Pregame Availability | NYI at VGK (11/13/25)

Um, this Vegas team leads the league in high danger chances. What’s the key to combating that tonight? Uh, we got to we got to be smart with the puck tonight. Um, they got a lot of skill over there. A lot of guys that are um, you know, top in the league and top at their game. So, uh, we got to be really smart with it and, you know, defensively take care of our roles. Um, everyone’s got a job to do out there and when things break down is covering for one another and, um, doing our best to limit these chances. They’re going to make them. They’re going to have them. But, uh, we have layers to our our structure and guys covering for one another. Should be all right. Successful road trip so far. What’s the key to a strong road win? I think we played good road hockey. I think we’ve played, you know, fairly simple and and smart um, and had some big moments in in during the game that have propelled us to wins. You know, flurries of saves from from Sroi the other night or or Barzy just and uh, you know, bearing on an opportunity in overtime. It’s just little things like that. Um, taking advantage of a late power play goal. Um, those are those are what help you win hockey games and we’ve we’ve kind of risen to those occasions in the last few. Speaking of the power play, what’s been working so well on the man advantage as of late? I think they’re moving the puck really well. Obviously, they they get they’re doing a great job getting set up, but you know, they’re bringing the puck to the net. I think, you know, you saw it the other night just with Sha putting it in there. Um, gives Palms an opportunity to bang one home. Uh, and you got to attack at some point. And I think they’re doing a good job of finding those holes and and taking advantage of them. A pretty strong road trip so far. What’s been working on the road and what’s um you know the key to a really strong road win? I’d say the key is you look at the goals against zero and one if we can you know obviously it’s not going to happen like that every night. But if we could limit the chances against like we have been and keep getting that play from Roi and Ry, it’s going to be key to success for us. I feel like when you’re when you’re defending like we are right now, we have a lot of offense power plays been scoring big goals for us. We have offense going to come through. So that’s the key for us. I feel like everybody says the same thing every year, but it really is, you know, it makes a big difference. What do you see in this Vegas uh team? This is a a really good team. It’s one of the best teams in the league. Cup contender every year. Obviously missing a few top six pieces there for them, but they still, if you look at the roster, still from top to bottom, a really really good team. So it’s a good test for us, especially on the road. I know they’ve lost a couple couple weird ones here at home lately. So it’s be a real good test for us. They lead the league in high danger chances. What’s the key defensively to shut those down? That’s not a surprise. Um, you know, they’re going to get some chances tonight. Obviously, we just got to make sure we’re limited. We got to focus on our game. We can’t get obsessed with what they’re trying to do. We got to we got to be in the right spots. We got to be making the right reads and have communication and we’ll, you know, we’ll limit those as much as we can. You mentioned Sroken and Rick earlier when Sroken is looking that confident. What’s the difference for that? And and how does that play a role for the entire team? I mean, I’m always confident in rookie. I can’t speak to what his confidence level is. I guess you could tell by, you know, the way he’s playing, when he’s playing. every time he’s in the net, I have, you know, a good feeling that we have a great chance to win the game. Uh, he’s great. He’s one of the best goalies in the league, if not the best at at sometimes. So, for me, I I can’t speak to that to be honest with you. I just feel confident every time he’s in the net, but obviously when a guy’s making them big saves, it doesn’t change the way you want to play, but it does feel good for the team. With Horvat’s hot hand, you know, what’s the key to his elite shot and what makes his shot so special and what’s working in his game that you’ve seen so far? Great deception. He um I mean he shoots the puck with a lot of power too, but he’s got great deception. He makes goalies, makes goalies move. See some of the goals this year where he’s pulled in a little bit and then goes back to to the other side. Uh he’s just actually kind of a good guy to watch when you want to think about how to try to start scoring goals. He just makes goalies move and and finds him little holes and exposes it. And right now, if we can get Bo the puck in a good spot, it’s probably a smart idea. Mentioned the power play earlier, too. What’s been that difference of why it’s been clicking? Yeah, they’re moving it good. I mean, I I’ve said this before. I think that it’s been good all year and um you know entries have been good. Now we’re finally starting to get some of them bounces. You know Jake puts a good good shot on net. Sometimes people everyone’s looking for the pretty play all the time but you just put it on net winds up hitting off palms and and there’s traffic out front. Guys converge it comes loose and we batted in. I mean those are the kind of goals we’re going to need to score too. We’re going to score plenty of highlight reel ones throughout the year. But we’re going to need some of them greasy ones too. So they’re doing a good job. Shopping off being out of the red non contact is obviously that’s a positive. Do you think that Yes, it is. He’s not going to play tonight, but No, he’s going to he’s going to skate. I mean, obviously, I would we’d like to see him in the in the practice with contact, see how he feels. Unfortunately, we won’t have. So, we’ll see how it goes, but how he’s going to play out, but for now, I mean, he’s not going to play tonight. You’ve been a you’ve been a pretty transition based team, capitalizing on opponent’s mistakes. Do you guys feel like you have to maybe put more of an emphasis on on forchecking, maybe establish more of a you know, ozone? Well, one thing we’ve been doing well, our entries on man rush have been really good. Um, you know, we we’ve been, especially against the Rangers, we scored like goals and even against Jersey. I mean, um, we did a good job, but the difference was Jersey was good at squeezing us. I mean, um, taking that those entry make it more difficult and I thought we managed the puck fairly well. little too many turnovers in the first period like I mentioned after the game, but I think we’re going to have to do that again here tonight and and even on the road trip. Uh good decisions with those pucks and the entry and then sometimes you might not be very sexy, but you got to put the puck deep and then get the forche going. So to your point, yes, our fore is going to be very important. When you head into a busy stretch like this, what is the value that maybe people don’t understand of coming out a day, you know, early, getting a practice in, then having a traditional skate and not having to do that time change travel of knowing that you’re going into a backto-back busy stretch. I mean, the the time change is a big difference. When I was in Colorado, it was a 2-hour difference. When we came to East, it was always tough because you normally go to bed at, let’s say, 10:00, it’s it’s 8:00. so you don’t feel tired. So, it’s nice to be here two days before the game and try to get adapt to the time change. But, you know, um you have to deal with this. Everybody has to and and I think that’s the good way to to travel. I mean, tonight we’re going to lose an hour going to Utah for tomorrow night’s game. So, I think the key will be be able to play the four lines and having everybody like playing like good minutes, but at the same time not overuse anybody because the four lines are sh playing really well. They’re sharp. Same thing for the defense. I think that will be the recipe for us. I mean, they’re they’re this is a tough trip. Vegas, I mean, Utah, Colorado, Dallas, and even Detroit, and then home after that against St. Louis and Seattle. So, I mean, it’s going to be important to have everybody playing at that at their best. When you said early this season your view for the team, you were pretty clear that you liked the idea of being able to roll lines, not necessarily having a top line, but have everybody kind of contributing. When the team is successful, that happens. Yeah. How rewarding is that for you that the vision that you had can take shape when the the pieces come together? Yeah, you need to have a vision on on on things as a as a coach for any coach in in in any any sports, but sometime doesn’t go the way you think. But, uh, the way we’ve been playing, the way the lines are shaped up right now, um, seems to me that all the lines are playing well and and and allow us to I’m not saying, you know, like sometimes if you have the wrong matchup, you’re comfortable, you know, because you know that everybody’s playing at their best and and you’re not as nervous about, you know, having it one line against the other line where you you didn’t want to see at the beginning of the game. But sometimes it doesn’t the script doesn’t work that way. So, it’s nice to have our guys uh playing well and and see the way they’re playing and and allow us to to do that. What is Cal Richie done or what does he still need to do? Very smart defensively. Well, I was going to ask you about his defense. Has he earned your trust defensively? Yes, he Yes. Yes. And and I think the fact that he’s playing with Sepy and and and Casey, I mean, helps especially Casey. I mean, he’s been playing that role for a long time and and as a centerman and I think he helps him sometimes on the left face up on the left side and he does the right side. So, I think it’s um it’s good for uh Cal to to experience a player like him and I think it really helps him. But like I said, yeah, he he earned my trust defensively and I know that offensively will come as well. Julian’s coming in on a bit of a role. What have you seen from him in, you know, his first couple of weeks as a very impressed with him. Um, his 200 ft game is has been really good for us. I mean, he’s he’s playing well defensively, but the play that he made in overtime, the pass he made, I mean, that’s that’s the skills that he has and and so it’s nice to see someone who has the skill, but also uh playing the role that he’s playing defensively for us. I ask one more. Do you uh if you’ve seen the the news, Larry Brooks has played in the New York. Yes. I didn’t know him very well. I mean, obviously I mean when we play the Rangers and time, but um I think everybody has a lot of respect for him and for the what he did for the game of hockey. I mean, um he was a very wellrespected person. With Schaefer, he’s been in the NHL for a month now. Just what what part of his games have you seen him grow the most? Um, I really like his overall I would say I it’s hard for me to pinpoint what one, but I like the way he’s playing defensively. I mean, um, you know, when you have a a young defenseman that has so much talent offensively, you’re always wondering how he’s going to play defensively, and he’s been playing really well. So, he’s so fast. I mean, he’s closing on guys and and uses stick as well. So, I’m very impressed with him. What have you heard from Bridgeport on Travis Mitchell? Have I heard of what? From Travis Mitchell. What? What have you seen? Rocky said I was on the call when Messer spoke to him and he said he was probably their best defenseman right now. So, I mean um he deserves to be here and we’re happy for him. He’s he’s not playing tonight, right? Yeah. What do you want to see from Adam Bokeis in the lineup tonight? Um, just want him to to We know how how good the skater he is. Um, how well um he he could move that puck. Um, but we want to see him be a good partner with Rooney and playing well defensively.

Hear from Captain Anders Lee, Tony DeAngelo and Head Coach Patrick Roy ahead of tonight’s game vs the Vegas Golden Knights.