The hockey world braced for an explosion. Saturday night at the Bell Centre, Patrick Roy watched his New York Islanders get dismantled in a 7-3 thrashing by the Montreal Canadiens. Given Roy’s legendary temper and the high stakes of a brutal playoff race, everyone expected fireworks. Instead, the Hall of Famer left the media stunned by staying remarkably calm.
Ice in his veins, not fire
Despite the lopsided score, Roy refused to take the bait. He had already shown glimpses of his trademark intensity during the game—pulling goaltender Ilya Sorokin and even challenging a late, largely irrelevant Montreal goal—but in the postgame presser, he was the picture of composure.
Rather than tearing into his team’s effort, Roy focused on the «what ifs.» He pointed to two posts hit in the second period that he believes «took the wind out» of the Islanders’ sails. It was a calculated, tactical response from a coach whose team currently sits at 83 points, desperately clawing for a Wild Card spot.
Suzuki and Caufield put on a clinic
The Islanders’ defense simply had no answer for Montreal’s top line. Nick Suzuki was the architect of the destruction, puting up a massive four-assist performance. The Canadiens captain now boasts an elite 85 points in 69 games this season.
Meanwhile, Cole Caufield tormented the Isles’ secondary with his second hat trick of the campaign. In the opposing locker room, Quebec native Jean-Gabriel Pageau offered no excuses: «We gave up far too much space,» he admitted.
No panic on Long Island
The Islanders are currently slipping, trailing the Columbus Blue Jackets by two points and the Detroit Red Wings by one. However, Roy is betting on home-ice advantage to save their season. The Isles return home for a crucial stretch, playing 10 of their next 12 games at UBS Arena.
As for the Canadiens? With 86 points and a comfortable third-place spot in the Atlantic Division, the city is buzzing. The «St-Louis Effect» is in full swing, and for the first time in years, the Montreal faithful truly believe.