HC Patrick Roy singles out NY Islanders' stubbornness as key reason behind 4-0 humiliation against rivals Rangers

The NY Islanders lost 4-0 to the NY Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday. The Rangers secured their second straight shutout after beating the Nashville Predators 4-0 on Sunday. Goalie Igor Shesterkin made 21 saves for the Rangers.

The NY Islanders, who had won their last two games, are now five points out of a playoff spot. Coach Patrick Roy said that his team was too stubborn and needed to simplify its game.

"The first goals was a bad bounce, I mean, up in the air and hit their guy and went in," Roy said. "And then the second one, I think, we tipped that one and hit the mask of Ilya and went in. And obviously, I mean, the third goal was not a pretty one, but, I mean, we didn't generate.

"I thought both teams didn't generate much of office all night long. So it was, yeah, we didn't play the type of hockey I thought that I was expecting."

This season, the Islanders' power play is 20.6%, and they are ranked 20th in the league. Against the Rangers, they failed to score on three powerplay chances but also missed their two powerplay chances. Roy criticized the Islanders’ power play and their decisions with the extra attacker.

"Yes, you don't want to get scored on the power plays, no doubt about it," Roy said.

"I mean, we had, we have to find ways to throw more pucks at the net, and I even then we pull the goalie six on five. We need to throw those pucks on the net. Then I don't know why we try those plays. I mean, I guess we're little stubborn at times, but we got to find a way to simplify things."

The NY Islanders need to create more chances and play a simpler game to stay in the playoff race. They face the Winnipeg Jets at UBS Arena on Tuesday.

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Rangers dominated the NY Islanders with two first-period goals

Will Cuylle scored the first goal for the NY Rangers when a shot hit his helmet at 15:03 of the first period. Will Borgen made it 2-0 with a short-handed goal at 19:15. J.T. Miller extended the Rangers' lead in the third period after a turnover before Artemi Panarin sealed the win with an empty-net goal.

The NY Islanders, with a 27-26-7 record, are seventh in the Metropolitan Division. They need six more points for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.