Patrick Roy’s defensive strategy and organization are his greatest assets. That’s not so much Lane Lambert as it’s more like the play the New York Islanders played under Barry Trotz.
The club appeared to play a more open, attack-first style of play under Lambert. But most nights, that strategy left Ilya Sorokin vulnerable, taking much more shots than he needed to.
Though there were many occasions when Sorokin saved the Isles, there were also many more times when he was left high and dry. Ultimately, we can attribute Sorokin’s poor season to the deficiency of defensive support he faced. The evidence for that is the apparent comeback Sorokin made in the second half, especially after Roy entered the game.
Roy’s advocacy of a responsible and accountable organization implies that the Isles will need to play a strong defensive game before depending on the transition game to advance the puck up ice. This is when the system’s importance of puck-moving defensemen is felt. We might witness an Isles team that gives up a lot if they can fully commit to Roy’s system.
