Here's what the Islanders had to say after clinching a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here's what the Islanders had to say after clinching a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NEWARK, NJ -- It may have taken 81 games, one less than last season, but the New York Islanders punched their ticket to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.
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"Listen. After what I saw tonight, it was maybe a good idea to win tonight," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said postgame.
If the Islanders had not won, things would have been very interesting with one game to go, as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Nashville Predators 4-2, and the Washington Capitals shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0.
But they did win, and now they get a rematch with the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
"Everybody won, but that's how it is," Roy said. "Everybody's desperate, and we were. Like we said before the game, the guys were very focused and dialed in and we had a strong game.
"We didn't give them much. When we gave something up, Varly was really good for us, and our power play got one; our penalty kill was really good. So I mean, maybe we're going to talk about something else."
Roy's team may have been written off by many, but he knows, through his experience as a four-time winner in this league, that you just have to get in.
"From my past experience, anything is possible. I mean, nobody gave us a chance in Montreal in 86’ or 93’, and we just played one game at a time, and we didn’t look ahead more than that.
"Ten games ago, no one really gave us a chance to be part of that playoff picture and now here we are. We've secured that third seed, and it's nice to see our guys be rewarded for that hard work."
Veteran Matt Martin, a pending unrestricted free agent, was singing along to "Livin' On A Prayer" blasting in the room as we approached him.
"It's always better to win and get in. It's a great feeling in the locker room right now, and we're excited for the challenge," Martin said. "It’s an 82-game season for a reason, and obviously, at times, it wasn't our best, but I do believe that we have a really mature, experienced group that stays pretty even-keeled throughout it all.
"Now, at this time of year, I think we're playing some really good hockey, and I think that's the type of attitude we have and the type of team we have. It's just a group that can overcome things, a great character group. We're very excited to lock it up tonight."
We asked Brock Nelson, who scored his 33rd goal of the season in the win, what allowed this group to right the ship and get in.
"We were resilient. We say it all the time, and I'm sure some people really don't take it in, or it doesn't resonate, but this group truly believes in what we have. Every night when we go out there, we think we can win.
"It starts with goaltending. And from there on out we're just playing for one another, having fun. I think the last few weeks we've been doing that."
Islanders captain Anders Lee credits his and his teammates' mindsets with allowing them to bounce back from adversity and ultimately get in.
"We were challenged with that a lot this year. And I think the biggest thing was is we came to the rink every day and when we worked hard," Lee said. "It was tough at times to feel like we were gonna pull ourselves out of it. We always believed in it, but you still got to go out there and perform and make it happen.
"I'm just really proud of this group for sticking with one another, committing to the goal at hand, and putting ourselves into the playoffs."
Lee and the Islanders know the hard work doesn't stop now. This was just the beginning.
"We're excited. We've put in a lot of effort to get to this point, and it's well-deserved and well-earned," Lee said. "But, we're excited to keep working and keep going after this thing.
"This is a fun time of the year. It's exciting. It's great. We've earned it. Now, let's get back to it here in a few days and get back at it."
The Islanders have one more game to go, hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night before their attention turns to the playoffs.