New York Islanders Postgame Availability | NYI 3 vs TBL 2 SO

New York Islanders Postgame Availability | NYI 3 vs TBL 2 SO

Yeah. Um, obviously, uh, big game. Um, you know, obviously we knew that, uh, won two in a row against them. We wanted to get a third win. Um, you know, we we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Um, you know, like I said, it’s a lot of legends in the stands tonight. Uh, um, huge motivation for us um, you know, as a as a team to, you know, come out and uh, have a good start and, um, you know, get a big W here at home. Did you get a chance to meet any of the Islanders alumni over the weekend or or Pat Lafetain himself? Uh not personally, you know, but uh you know, we saw them in the hallways and I’m just chatting them up before the game there and before the speech. So, um like I said, it’s uh for us it’s uh it’s chills going, you know, through our body and um you definitely want to, you know, have a good performance in front of them. You had a really impressive assist on his goal in the first period. Just take us through what you saw there. Yeah, I just uh got the puck on the half wall there in the D zone and just wanted to use my speed. Uh saw the D man, I think he kind of topicked a little bit. So, just wanted to, you know, get in the zone and um, you know, great play by by Cal there. Just um, you know, seeing the the play unfold and uh, staying as a high of three and then just had to slide it to him and he had a great shot. You mentioned it earlier just sweeping the lightning this season and Sroken was a big part in that. Just how huge was he tonight with those saves? Yeah, huge. He’s been huge all year. He’s been uh, backing us up and having our backs whenever there’s a breakdown in Done. So, um, he’s been playing really exceptional and that’s why he’s a top goal in this league. Fontaine mentioned you at the speech respect, you know, you said that you texted him and what what did that mean to hear him giving shout out? Yeah, definitely wasn’t expecting that, but definitely gave me a little bit extra jump tonight. Um, you know, wanting to win that game for him on a special night. So, um, yeah, I mean it it was pretty cool. Got a little bit of chills there, but uh, I mean, great game, great win, and uh, great night for him and his family. Just in a game where the Lightning were really peppering you guys, Stroen stood tall. Just how how crucial was his performance? Yeah, I mean obviously at the end of the day when um you know you you have a little bit more leeway when you have such a good goalie like him. I mean he’s making some big stops and uh it’s fun to watch. Obviously you don’t want to put him in that position but you know uh you know as a defenseman if you make those mistakes or anything you know he has your back most of the time. Shoot out for you in a short span just what was running through your mind there in the shootout. Uh today nothing. Uh just see guys happy to score two goals and um um nothing in my head tonight. The Lightning tested you with a lot of shots tonight. Just did you kind of find your flow facing that high of a shot volume? Yeah, second period um have a lot of time in PK. So five on three, five on four. Um feel good. Uh guys helped me with block shots and uh um help me track a pack. So it’s I think it was great great game for us. Just what impresses you most about Emil Heinman getting the the winner in the past two shootout wins there. Oh, he his shot unbelievable. Uh um very happy what he has score in this moment. Uh and feel his emotion. Second time in the world. Well, Patrick, after an emotional ceremony, then you know to find a way to get two points tonight was uh pretty good. I guess that’s what Patrick wanted. He wanted a win tonight. Yes, we had a good start. We uh we had a really good first period. I mean, we um scored two goals that got a good lead and obviously in the second, I mean, we had the the penalties that I think killed our momentum a little bit here there, but we did a really nice job coming back in in in the dressing room by still by one goal and uh that was uh I think that was one of the key moment in the game. I mean, they have a very good power play and that gave them the momentum and they they took advantage of it. They controlled the puck for a lot of the game, but your goalender was as good as it can be. Yeah, it was what 246 five on five shots on net. I mean, I thought we defended well. Um, and then there’s nights like this and there’s a lot of games I remember uh when we came back from that trip where we played really well and we came up short. So I mean I guess course of the season I mean those games are are coming back and today this afternoon it was an example but yes Ilia was outstanding. He made some really good saves. Uh made things look pretty simple and easy for him and that’s when you know that someone is in his zone and and playing some really good hockey. I’m sure a lot of this stems from Ilia, but what kind of confidence does this team have this season maybe compared to past seasons going into an overtime or or or going into a shootout? Um, I guess it’s day and night. I mean, um, that’s why we came with with joy and compassion and boldness and and have some swagger, have some, uh, clarity in what we want to do. I mean, I think that that these words are coming back a lot and and going in that third period with that presence and and stay in the present moment. I feel like it’s it it makes a difference and I think our guys are are playing they deserve a lot of credit the way they they handled those situation. Even if we gave a goal, it doesn’t change anything in our game. we played the same way and and obviously I mean we know we could count on uh two very good goalenders who make some great saves for us and keeps us in in those games and um and gives us time to to find ways to win uh those hockey games. Was there anything they were doing that just made it tough for you guys to um to sustain uh offensive zone time or anything like that? Well, they were they were doing a good job closing on us and fast uh and and on the overload. I mean they were closing the wall. So I mean it was it was made it maybe more difficult on that regard but um I felt like in the first period we were holding on those pucks. We were moving re really well. Uh in the second there was no momentum. I mean, the first thing I think that that gives up when you you lose momentum is the focus and and it’s hard to stay focused because I mean, the other team is going and you want to stop basically the bleeding and not giving them as much possession and stuff like this, but I mean, like I said to the guys after the second, let’s let’s get our focus back. And I thought that’s what we did in the third. I mean, I don’t know. I mean, how much possession they have more than us, but I mean, I thought we defended well and there’s nights you got to defend well. You got to, you know, you have to play well in your zone. And I thought that’s what our guys did. With Siroken, I mean, is this almost at the point now where you can kind of come into a game expecting him to to be at at this level? I never had any doubt. I never had any any doubt at all. I mean, I you know, even from the day I got here, I mean, I knew we had one of the best goalender in the game and and and I still believe that. So, what do you see from Druin and his return to the lineup? Outstanding. He played really well. Uh I thought he was um I thought he had energy. He was skating well. Uh I thought that line played really well. They play a lot against point line and I I thought they were outstanding. So was the the line of Richie. I mean, two two assists tonight. he played another strong game. So, no, I’m I’m I’m very happy with with the the performance of the team. I mean, um that’s what I love about our group. It’s funny because yesterday I was at the restaurant last night and and the people were saying that the cool thing about the Islanders right now is even if we lose key players, there’s always someone, you know, step up and and and and perform. And today was Anthony just glad two assists and and and then we had big goals from Richie and a big goal from Sha. So it was another and then what what about saying about the shootout? I mean two in a row. Iman comes through and three for three and those shootouts. So that was a big big win for our team. Big win for our team. Duclair said he’s really think about it. I mean I don’t know how long we’re going to be but we’re first in the conference. Duclair said he’s really focused on the defensive side of the puck. just what have you seen him in the growth in his game in his own zone as of late? I like his focus. His focus. I mean, he’s he’s um he’s skating well. Um he’s creating space for himself and I’m very happy with him. How easy was it for you to trust Heinman and what did you think of his moves in the shootout? I didn’t look. I closed my eyes and shoot out. So, I have no idea what he where did he score and and and I’m talking to my grandmother. That’s all I’m doing. You’re welcome. Oops. Sorry. Sorry. You mentioned being first in the conference and I know that might only be for a few hours. Yeah. What does that say about how far this this team has come in a pretty short period of time? It’s it just show us that what we’re doing, we’re doing the right thing. And and by by having that joy, having that compassion, having that that, you know, that boldness, it’s exactly what this team needs. and and and our seeing our guys, I mean, the way they’ve been playing and and what they’re doing. I mean, I’m so proud of them and and they deserve so much credit for what they’ve been doing. So, it’s exciting for for our franchise.

Hear from Patrick Roy, Matthew Schaefer, Anthony Duclair, and Ilya Sorokin after tonight’s shootout win vs the Tampa Bay Lightning.