Roy challenges players to extend streak to six
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Before Patrick Roy left the ice during practice on Saturday, he had a message for his team.
“We don’t want anything else but six in a row,” he told the assembled Islanders.
The Islanders already set their season-high win streak at five Thursday with a 7-2 win over the Sharks. Now they can extend it Sunday against the Ducks, and further hone in on a playoff spot in doing so.
“We’re playing connected,” Anders Lee said. “I think our forwards are doing a great job of having close support, playing pretty simple, for the most part. The other night we made some really nice plays, that’s for sure.
“But those started from just being smart with the puck and playing smart before that. Our ‘D’ are closing the gaps. They’re tight on their offense and allowing us to transition quickly. Kind of a combination of the team just feeling connected and playing some good hockey right now. When you’re doing that, results like that start to happen.”
The Islanders’ season is following a similar arc to their 2022-23 campaign. For a second straight time, they struggled through January, made a major change toward the end of the month and didn’t really begin their playoff push in earnest until late February.
Last year, the Islanders didn’t secure a spot in the postseason until a Game 82 victory over Montreal. This time around, their chances of getting into the tournament appeared far worse until recently when their current win streak dovetailed with the Red Wings, Lightning and Flyers all starting to struggle.
Meanwhile, the Islanders have played their best hockey of the season. And against an Anaheim team that is a pitiful 23-37-3 this season, the path to extending their streak — and potentially overtaking at least one of Detroit or Tampa within the next few games — looks wide open.
“Well, you can’t wait too long,” Kyle Palmieri said. “You kinda run out of time. It’s exciting this time of year, teams jostling for position. Every game’s a big night.”
➤ Semyon Varlamov will start in net for the Islanders on Sunday after Ilya Sorokin did so in the prior six games. Sorokin is expected to be back in the starter’s crease Monday against the Kings.