New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, second from left, reacts during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
ELMONT, N.Y. — Patrick Roy’s ceaseless pacing during his debut as New York Islanders head coach on Sunday easily suggested that there was some anxiety for the 56-year-old Hockey Hall-of-Famer, who was coaching his first NHL game in seven-and-a-half years.
“I was very nervous, I won’t lie,” Roy said. “I did [have to calm myself down]. At some point, I have to let the players play the game and be themselves and that’s what I tried to do.”
Perhaps some unease can be eased by a victory. His Islanders snapped a four-game losing streak and defeated one of the best teams in the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars, 3-2 in overtime to make the new head coach 1-for-1 behind the New York bench.
Don’t expect the intensity to cool down anytime soon, though balance is important.
“That’s how I am,” Roy, the legendary goalie, said. “When I was playing, I was vocal in the net. I was talking to the players. I love to do the exact same thing [now]. I try to find the balance. Sometimes it’s too much and sometimes, I just try to stay [even keel]. I’m still learning.
“It’s [the players’] moment. You want to have that intensity and you want to show the players, but they know that I’m here to win and they know I’m going to be there for them.”
The early returns are more than promising. The Islanders showed gumption that had been missing in their game for weeks — ultimately leading to the firing of Lane Lambert on Saturday — as they overturned a 2-1 third-period deficit against a team that had won 19 of 22 games this season when leading after two periods.
Mathew Barzal, in particular, is already all-in on Roy’s philosophy of high-intensity, emotional motivation.
“That’s just Patty Roy. I personally love it,” he said. “That…
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