NHL: New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes - Source: Imagn — New York Islanders suffer 7-1 loss to Sabres, Roy and Lee call for improvement (Source: Imagn)

HC Patrick Roy gives honest opinion after NY Islanders' 7-1 loss to Buffalo Sabres

Modified Dec 24, 2024 15:07 GMT

The New York Islanders lost 7-1 to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday at UBS Arena. The Sabres scored early and controlled the game. Despite some good plays, the Islanders couldn't keep up with Buffalo's offense, as they struggled to create chances and had numerous missed opportunities.

The Islanders defense allowed several unanswered goals. Kyle Palmieri scored the team's only goal late in the game. They pulled Sorokin for an extra attacker but couldn't generate enough offense.

\Islanders coach Patrick Roy was honest about the team’s performance. He didn’t think they played as poorly as the score suggested but acknowledged the need to improve.

"I don't think we were as bad as the score showed we had. We had, what, 78 shots towards their net attempt. I mean, 20, what, 28 or 29 of them hit the net. I mean, we did some good stuff, but, I mean, we need to be better in our own building. There's no doubt about it. I mean, we have to find ways to win games at home," he said.

Roy also mentioned that the team struggled to recover after Buffalo’s first goal and other key moments. He stressed the need for the Islanders to play better in front of their fans.

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NYI captain Anders Lee also shared his frustration with the Islanders' performance.

"There's no good way to put how that game went. We were garbage from the get-go," Lee said.

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The NYI next play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EST. The Penguins have a record of 16 wins, 15 losses and five overtime losses, while the NYI have 13 wins, 15 losses and seven overtime losses on the season.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff reflects on team's growth after ending 13-game losing streak in win against the Islanders

The Buffalo Sabres ended their 13-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over the Islanders.

Jiri Kulich scored two goals and added an assist. Beck Malenstyn, Jason Zucker, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson also scored. Rasmus Dahlin had four assists, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves in goal. The Sabres hadn't won since November 23, ending a long losing drought.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said thaat the team’s performance had improved in recent games.

"I think when you go through something like this, a journey that is awfully painful, when you come out of it, you should be a better team," Ruff said (via NHL.com).

The Sabres’ smart puck play and solid defense helped them control the game against the Islanders.