Incensed Patrick Roy blasts his own players after win over Blackhawks

The New York Islanders managed to get a 5-1 lead in the third period of last night’s game against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks before disaster hit late in the contest. The Hawks scored three unanswered goals and the Isles only got away with a 5-4 in the end.

When he met with media postgame, head coach Patrick Roy was incensed at his own players despite getting the two victory points.

“A win is a win, and we play to win games, but I guess times have changed because in my days, if my team would have done that to me, I would break a stick in that room,” Roy said. “I’d be very upset to see my team playing like this in front of me. Ilya is a gentleman. He’s a first-class person, but that was unacceptable. We didn’t compete. We didn’t battle in front of the net in the last eight minutes. That’s unacceptable. We talked about it this morning, to be stronger. Our goalie deserves more respect than this.”

Roy also criticized how his team simply stopped playing and maintained how goalie Igor Shesterkin did not deserve any of this.

“We have one of the best in the game. He doesn’t deserve that. I would feel bad about it, I really would. We got to play the game for 60 minutes, and we have to play a certain way, and I don’t think Ilya deserved that from us.”

It was easy to tell that Roy was trying to control himself and not blow up in front of reporters. But I bet his players heard it all once he headed back to the team’s dressing room.

Roy’ press conference only convinced me more that he is the right coach to get this team back to the right place. He’s demanding accountability from his players.

Love his passion!