Patrick Roy praises Bo Horvat for dropping gloves in retaliation to hit on teammate Mathew Barzal

Patrick Roy, the New York Islanders HC, praised Bo Horvat for standing up for his teammate Matthew Barzal during the Isles' 3-2 win on Monday.

The incident unfolded during the second period when the Islanders' star player Matthew Barzal became the subject of a questionable hit from the Leafs' Sam Benoit.

Following the hit, Horvat entered the fray by stepping up and dropping the gloves in retaliation against a hit by Benoit to Barzal. Bo Horvat received a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Meanwhile, Patrick Roy, who replaced Lane Lambert as the Islanders HC last month, was highly impressed with Horvat's display of leadership and had nothing but high praise for him after the game.

Roy said:

"This is who he is. He's a leader on this team. I mean, leader, you know, always take care of your teammates. I mean, In your life you have a chance you can be an eagle or duck. He was an eagle there." - Patrick Roy added

The Islanders completed a series sweep over the Maple Leafs by beating them in all three games this season. With the win, the Islanders also ended their three-game losing skid.

The Islanders are fourth in the Metro Division with 54 points after 50 games and overall 17th in the league standings. The club is also in the playoffs mix as the Isles are four points off the second-placed Detroit Red Wings in the East's Wild card standings.

The Islanders return to the ice on Thursday, Feb. 9, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

How has Bo Horvat fared for the New York Islanders?

New York Islanders v Toronto Maple Leafs

Horvat was drafted No. 9 overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013 NHL draft. He spent nine seasons in Vancouver before joining the Islanders last season.

In January last year, the Canucks traded Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders and received Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a conditional first-round pick in 2023 as part of the trade.

This season, Horvat has notched up 45 points through 20 goals and 25 assists in 49 games, making him the third-leading scorer for the Islanders. Overall, Horvat, in his decade-long career, has accumulated 481 points through 228 goals and 253 assists.