Islanders Coach Roy Takes Blame for Poor Start in Critical Loss

Head coach Patrick Roy shoulders responsibility after Islanders fall behind early in 4-1 defeat to Flyers.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:20am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice reduced to sharp, overlapping shapes in a palette of navy, green, and white.A cubist interpretation of the Islanders' critical loss to the Flyers, capturing the fragmented, high-intensity action of the game.Elmont Today

New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy took responsibility for his team's poor start in Friday's 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, saying he could have done a better job preparing the team mentally before the game. The Islanders fell behind 2-0 in the first period and failed to record a shot on goal for the first 13:15 of the game, putting them in a hole they couldn't climb out of.

Why it matters

The loss is a critical one for the Islanders, who are in serious danger of missing the playoffs after being in a strong position for much of the season. Roy's job security has been considered safe, but that could change if the team fails to make the postseason. The outcome also casts doubt on the likelihood of captain Anders Lee re-signing as an unrestricted free agent.

The details

Roy acknowledged that he should have done more to get the team ready to play, saying 'I could have done a better job approaching the guys, say a few things.' The Islanders were without injured defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who did skate on his own before the game but is not expected to travel with the team to Carolina for Saturday's match. The team also honored slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller during a TV timeout in the first period.

  • The Islanders lost 4-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • The Islanders did not record a shot on goal for the first 13:15 of the game.

The players

Patrick Roy

Head coach of the New York Islanders, who took responsibility for the team's poor start in the loss to the Flyers.

Mathieu Darche

General manager of the New York Islanders, whose relationship with Roy is believed to be quite good despite the two never having met before Darche was hired last spring.

Anders Lee

Captain of the New York Islanders, whose likelihood of re-signing as an unrestricted free agent is now in doubt due to the team's struggles.

Simon Holmstrom

New York Islanders player who returned from an upper-body injury that kept him out of the previous game.

Tony DeAngelo

New York Islanders defenseman who skated on his own before the game but is not expected to travel with the team to Carolina for the next game.

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What they’re saying

“I'll take part of the blame for the first period. I have a job to do to make sure our team is ready to play a strong game. So we're together in this. We called a timeout and I felt like after that we started playing more our game.”

— Patrick Roy, Head Coach, New York Islanders

“Sometimes you just make sure, you say a few words in the room after the meeting. Tonight I thought the team was ready to play a strong game, and I could have done a better job approaching the guys, say a few things.”

— Patrick Roy, Head Coach, New York Islanders

What’s next

The Islanders will travel to Carolina to face the Hurricanes on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Head coach Patrick Roy said he does not expect defenseman Tony DeAngelo to make the trip as he continues recovering from a lower-body injury.

The takeaway

This loss puts the Islanders' playoff hopes in serious jeopardy, with head coach Patrick Roy acknowledging that he could have done a better job preparing the team mentally. The outcome also raises questions about the future of the team, including the likelihood of captain Anders Lee re-signing as an unrestricted free agent.