George didn't play the final 7:24 minutes in their 5-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
In Tuesday night's 5-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders rookie defenseman Isaiah George had a tough night.
George was on the ice for the Avalanche's first goal, with the shifty veteran Nathan MacKinnon making a strong play to get the puck around his body to find Artturi Lehkonen:
After taking seven shifts in the first period, 4:38, George only took two shifts in the second period, 6:02, before just three shifts in the third, 1:46.
His night ended with 7:24 to play in the third, as the Islanders tried to wrap up the win, which they did.
It was clear for George and defenseman Scott Mayfield (who didn't play the final 15:23) that the Avalanche's speed was just a bit too much to handle, and both saw their time limited in the third period.
Following Thursday's morning skate, head coach Patrick Roy discussed George's game.
"He's very good when he moves that puck quick. When he started to play east or west or even coming, bringing it back south, it's a little tougher," Roy said (H/t New York Islanders). "But hey, he's 20 years old. Are you kidding me? I mean, it's a phenomenal experience for him. You cannot ask for any better. And I love the fact that even if he's making mistakes, he's capable of coming back and playing harder the next shift.
"And that shows character to me, and that's what you want to know. How many guys go out there, make a mistake, and then are afraid to just be on the ice to make another one? I like him a lot."
One thing that George has shown since his NHL debut is poise and the ability to rebound mentally when things don't go the way he wants.
"Has he been perfect? Nobody is, but I mean, he's bouncing back," Roy said. "I just want him to play simple hockey. It's so much easier that way. It doesn't have to be a complicated game. And sometimes you just have to move it north and just [make] a simple pass. It might not be flashy, but sometimes it's the right thing to do."
With the additions of Tony DeAngelo and Scott Perunovich, along with Dennis Cholowski serving as the seventh defenseman, George has more competition than he's ever had at the NHL level.
But Roy's decision to keep George in the lineup over Cholowski says a lot. This should boost his confidence as his young career progresses, and the Islanders need results.
The Islanders battle the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET.
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