The New York Islanders have made it to the playoffs for the fifth time in six years, thanks to their response to a midseason coaching change. Patrick Roy took over from Lane Lambert.
Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson each scored a goal and assisted another as the Islanders sealed one of the two remaining playoff spots in the Eastern Conference with a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.
Nelson mentioned that the team wasn’t satisfied with their performance and position before the change. He believes that whether it was Lane or Patty coaching, the team still believed in their capabilities. Sometimes, a different voice brings a fresh perspective, and now they feel like they’re on a good run.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Kyle MacLean also scored as the Islanders secured third place in the Metropolitan Division. Semyon Varamov made 23 saves for his fifth consecutive win, extending New York’s point streak to eight games (7-0-1).
Islanders captain Anders Lee acknowledged that it wasn’t the prettiest game, but they capitalized on their chances. Making it to the playoffs is the result of hard work throughout the season, and everyone should be proud of it. They plan to enjoy the achievement for a while.
The recent success also shows that general manager Lou Lamoriello made the right decision when he fired Lambert on Jan. 20. At that time, the team was struggling, losing four straight games and performing poorly with a 2-6-2 stretch.
Roy took over and managed to motivate the team to perform better. Under his guidance, the Islanders improved with a 19-12-5 record, especially when the pressure was high towards the end of the season. Lambert, who led the Islanders to the playoffs in his first season in 2022-23, had a 19-15-11 record before being fired.
Roy praised the team’s resilience and ability to work together, stating that they learned how to win. He was pleased with their performance in close games, like the 2-1 victory in the recent match.
The win secured the Islanders’ spot in the playoffs, where they will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who missed the playoffs this year after having a successful season last year with a franchise-record 112 points. Jake Allen made 14 saves in the final game of the season for the Devils.
Meier expressed disappointment about missing the playoffs and said it’s time for everyone to reflect on their performance during the season.
New Jersey also made a change in coaching this season, deciding to part ways with veteran Lindy Ruff (30-27-4) in March after a 1-2 West Coast trip. Travis Green, the associate head coach, took over temporarily, but the team struggled, going 8-12-1 for the remainder of the season.
Green mentioned that he will have a discussion with general manager Tom Fitzgerald about his future. Likely, he will at least have an interview if Fitzgerald decides to look for a new coach.
The Islanders, who have their final game of the season at home against the Penguins, took the lead early and never trailed. Pageau scored the first goal with a shot assisted by Pierre Engvall in the first period. Palmieri extended the lead with a power-play goal later in the period.
Meier scored for the Devils early in the second period, but Nelson quickly restored the Islanders’ two-goal lead. MacLean sealed the victory with a goal in the third period.
With the Devils out of playoff contention for their final game, Islanders fans took the opportunity to attend the game and celebrate their team’s success as they extended their lead.
