Isles HC Patrick Roy gets brutally honest about Anthony Duclair's performance in 4-1 loss to Lightning

Modified Apr 02, 2025 05:10 GMT

NHL: New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning - Source: Imagn — Patrick Roy gets brutally honest about Anthony Duclair's performance in 4-1 loss to Lightning- Source: Imagn

New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy didn't hold back when addressing why he limited winger Anthony Duclair's ice time in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

It was a terrible night for Duclair, who was blasted by Roy after the game for his lack of effort in the 4-1 defeat to the Bolts. Reflecting on Duclair's performance, Roy said postgame:

"He was God awful. He was God awful. He had a bad game. That's why I didn't play him a lot. And he's lucky to be in the lineup. Sorry if I lose it on him right now, but that's how I feel.

"He's not skating, he's not competing, he's not moving his feet. He's not playing up to what we expect from him. I think it's an effort thing," he added.

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For the third straight game, Duclair's ice time was reduced to just 12 minutes and 15 seconds, well below his season average of 15 minutes. The 29-year-old was one of the key signings the Islanders made last summer, brought in as a top-line addition.

However, he has struggled to meet the expectations set for him. Anthony Duclair has recorded only 11 points, with four goals and seven assists, in 44 games so far this season.

Patrick Roy blasts Anthony Duclair as Isles lose to Bolts

On Tuesday, the New York Islanders lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning with a scoreline of 4-1 at home in UBS Arena. The loss was their sixth-straight as well.

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Oliver Bjorkstrand opened the scoring for the Lightning after giving them a 1-0 lead 8:46 into the first period. Just two minutes later, Bo Horvat tied it for the Islanders after scoring a shorthanded goal. This was the lone goal scored by the home team in the game.

Jake Guentzel restored the Lightning's lead to 2-1 at 8:09 into the second period before Victor Hedman made it 3-1 before heading into the final period. Nick Paul sealed the win for Tampa after putting the puck back into the empty net at the 16:29 mark.

Anthony Duclair's Islanders are battling for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, currently two points behind the second-placed Montreal Canadiens (79 points).

The New York Islanders will look to end their losing streak when they host the Minnesota Wild next at UBS Arena on Friday.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Veer Badani