Patrick Roy's Rallying Cry To Islanders At Wednesday's Practice

EAST MEADOW, NY -- Patrick Roy has tried to remain calm and positive during his tenure as the New York Islanders bench boss. But, on Wednesday morning after a 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday, the Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender didn't like what he was seeing and let it be known. 

After a couple of line rushes, Roy called the group to center ice and just unloaded regarding his team's lack of intensity. 

At one point, he asked players if they wanted to be in the stands.

He also said he couldn't care less if anyone thought they played a good game on Tuesday night because the result was a brutal loss in front of their fans. 

"I wasn't displeased," Roy said following practice. "It was more like,  I understand when things are not necessarily going your way, you lose your confidence. I just want us to keep practicing the right way. When you're losing games, like we did the last four, you want to make sure that you keep working hard in the practice. I always believe you play like your practice. So if we want to get back on the winning side, we need to continue to practice.

"I just felt like we slacked a little bit on our d-zone coverage, especially today in the practice. So I just want to remind them, let's keep practicing the right way, and things will go our way.”

Roy then looked back to Tuesday night. 

"The hockey gods were not on our side last game, I saw it. I mean, there were like screens, tip-ins and stuff like this, but you can't feel sorry for yourself in this game anymore. You have to go out there and find a way to practice hard and bring it to your game. And that's all, I remind them.”

Roy's message at the end was very simple. 

"What I said is very simple. We need to show some swagger. You don't have to tell how you feel deep inside," Roy said. "I remember one year when we played Detroit in the playoffs. We lost the first two games at home, and my teammates had their heads between their legs, and I came out singing and this and that. Deep inside, I was afraid, but I felt like I had to show some swagger, not to let the other team know that I was afraid.

"We were all scared going into Detroit down 2-0. That's what I want to see from our group, that little bit of swagger."

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