Islanders Coach Benches Forwards, Cites Poor Play

New York Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer indicated frustration with his team's performance, leading to late-game lineup changes in the Islanders' 2-1 shootout loss to the Senators on Thursday. Calum Ritchie and Anthony Duclair were both dropped to the fourth line, a move DeBoer described as a consequence of players falling out of favor due to their play.

"There was a group of guys there that fell out," DeBoer said when asked about Ritchie. "The players make those decisions for me. I don’t make those decisions on how they play during the game. You know what, we had some puck management issues at different points. We took some penalties, which you can’t do on the road. Guys make those decisions when we get into those situations."

Ritchie played only two shifts in the third period, sitting for the final 11:30 of the game. Duclair took four shifts and was sidelined for the last 9:25. Both players had taken penalties in the second period.

Defenseman Matt Kessel also did not play for the final 12:30 of the game. In contrast, forwards Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom, who had started the game on the fourth line, saw increased ice time, playing on the second and third lines respectively.

DeBoer noted that in-game lineup adjustments have become a characteristic of his approach early in the season, partly due to his relative unfamiliarity with the Islanders roster. "I’m still getting to know this group," DeBoer stated. "I haven’t been with these guys for two or three years where, a coach that has that experience with a group … that’s had success with certain line combinations over a long period of time, maybe gives a little more runway. That’s not the case here. I’m still getting to know this group, everybody’s trying to show me where they fit and what they’re capable of doing."

The Islanders have struggled in shootouts, a trend that continued against the Senators. The team lost all 10 of its overtime games last season. In the shootout, Brayden Schenn, Bo Horvat, and Simon Holmstrom all failed to convert their attempts.

Forward Mat Barzal did not travel with the team for the road trip due to left kneecap inflammation.