New York Islanders Postgame Availability | NYI at DET (11/20/25)

New York Islanders Postgame Availability | NYI at DET (11/20/25)

What made it easy for you when your team scores five goals in that game? Oh, it not not easy. You should uh be focused at the whole game and uh um yeah, it’s not a lot shot first two periods. So, uh you should uh find um concentration, focus and um um play shoot by shift. You’re the type of guy who likes to see a lot of shots, but when there’s there are aren’t too many shots you face, you know, how how do you stay in the game? It’s today not was too many shots. It’s too regular game four shots. So feel good tonight and uh guys make block shot and um help me a lot. Second shut out of the season for you. Second on the trip. Just what worked so well in your game tonight. I I don’t have u a lot of uh job tonight because guys play very well. We play a lot of offense offense zone. So um uh thanks thanks for him. Yes, it’s kind of that next game mentality. Um it’s not about what we’ve done in the past or uh anything like that. We’re focused on what’s what’s ahead and um the task at hand. We knew that team was going to be hungry coming out and you know, we were able to get off to a good start and get on them early and that just kind of shows the um the leadership we have in this room, the the guys that are willing to um day in and day out even though they’re tired, put it all on the line. And um you know, it was a big win for us tonight. What a what a night for your line especially. What allowed you guys to click so well? Uh, you know, I just, you know, I thought, you know, we we just played a a simple game when it when it came down to it. Um, you know, that first goal, Shabi made a, you know, a hell of a play to to uh to Rich on the wide side and, you know, Rich is a shooter. He’s going to shoot and he found, uh, the back of the net and, um, we kind of just rolled from there. Uh, it wasn’t anything really pretty. It was straight hockey or north hockey and, um, kind of work below and and just capitalize on our chances when we had them. You’re the kind of player who prioritizes defense kind of the way Richie has been sharpening his defensive game now producing offense. What have you seen from him this season since he’s been recalled? The confidence grow. Um, you know, it’s it wasn’t easy at the start. Um, last few games we we got a little more ice time and, you know, he didn’t he didn’t let that get to him. He he stayed with his game. He stayed with what uh he knows is is uh, you know, his hockey and you could see him flourish right now. It’s it’s u, you know, it’s fun to play alongside him and Shabby. talk a lot about Shabbanov’s, you know, crafty skills, but for him to especially on that second goal to to flourish like that, what have you seen from his confidence? Yeah, I mean, he’s he he’s a skilled player and he finds those small areas he um to to make plays and uh he he’s strong on his feet. He likes to hold on to the puck and and and make that play and, you know, he’s done a really good job of it. And I think that’s kind of where we’ve we’ve done well together is, you know, we keep a tight triangle. We’re we’re there to support each other and um you know, we’re taking care of our our end when we need to. Yeah. Yeah, you see he’s so smart. He’s always looking to make a play and uh has a good awareness of where guys are on the ice at all time. So, uh yeah, that pass to me on my goal is unreal and obviously I mean he had three other points tonight that were unreal. So, uh yeah, just a great player and Zeke worked his butt off tonight and uh was just blocking everything. So, uh he’s unreal to play with both those guys. Have you felt your game kind of hit a different level probably say the last three, four games on this trip? Yeah, I think um starting to get more settled in obviously. I think I think all along I was playing good hockey, I thought, and just uh just a matter of time to kind of get start getting those bounces and start creating more offensively, I’d say. And uh yeah, I think just getting settled in, gaining some chemistry with these guys. Um just trying to learn as much as I can. What a night for your line. You mentioned Casey Zikas, but what have you learned from him as kind of the veteran anchor on that line in his game tonight? Yeah, he he brings so much energy to the team and uh yes, in between shifts, you’re always kind of asking questions and uh trying to figure out what the right play was and kind of look over video and all that with him. Uh yeah, he’s been great to play with, a great teacher for

Hear from Ilya Sorokin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Ritchie aafter tonight’s win vs the Detroit Red Wings