EASTERN MEADOW | The advantage of a head coach who has won four Stanley Cups during his playing career is that he can draw on past experience to prove that what seems difficult to achieve remains within the realm of possibility.

The day after the bitter loss in the second game of the series against the Hurricanes, Patrick Roy had exactly that planned. Trailing 2-0, the Islanders returned home where they will play Game 3 of this showdown on Thursday.

Until then, Roy will recite to them one of the most famous chapters of the rivalry between the Canadiens and the Nordiques: the confrontation of 1993. According to the person who recorded the goals of the Habs at the time, there are some similarities between these two series of first rounds.

“In the first game we led 3 to 1 [en fait, c’était 2 à 0]. The Nordiques scored two goals late in the game before winning in overtime. Then we lost 4-1 in a game that I didn't think we were very good at,” he initially recalled.

“But we came home, we had the energy of our fans, the resilience of our players and a coach who believed in us,” he added. We reacted, we showed character. This is the opportunity that lies before us. It's certain that tomorrow [mercredi]I’ll talk to you about it.”

Lou won't like it

If Roy waits a little longer to get his players together, it's because he has decided to give them a day off. According to him, these additional 24 hours will be beneficial for the rest of this series.

They will be an opportunity to clear your head, think and make certain adjustments. Again he referred to a past experience to emphasize the benefits of such a day of rest.

“Lou [Lamoriello] will not like this anecdote. When we played the Devils in the 2001 Stanley Cup Final, there was a bye between the fifth and sixth games. We won 4 to 0.”

In the seventh and final game, the Avalanche would finally win the Stanley Cup.

“If we had played two days after the fifth game, we might not have won. But this day off allowed everyone to reflect on what we had done and what we could do differently.”

Too passive in the third third

What do the Islanders have to do to turn things around this time?

“Every time the hurricanes advance, we must stand firm and remain strong,” he replied.

Easier said than done, considering Rod Brind'Amour's team specializes in constant pressure, wave attacks and puck possession. The third period of the last meeting was a good example of this. The Hurricanes had 17 shots on goal, while the Islanders only had one.

“In the third period, I would have liked us to be a little more solid on the boards and be able to make better decisions to get the puck out,” he analyzed. Could we have protected the leadership? Yes. But in series you can't just secure a lead. »

You need to have your killer instinct a little sharper.

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