On the morning of David Rittich’s first start in goal as an Islander, coach Patrick Roy was on the ice far longer than usual to work with Ilya Sorokin.

This was the time, with Sorokin struggling through his first three starts, for Roy to bend his own rule about not getting involved with coaching the goaltenders.

“Shame on me,” said Roy before Thursday night’s 4-2 win over the Oilers at UBS Arena. “Should have done it before.”

Patrick Roy reacts on the bench during the third period of the Islanders’ 5-2 loss to the Jets at UBS Arena on Oct. 13, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

This, Roy went on to say, was not about working with Sorokin on technique. That is still director of goaltending Piero Greco’s domain. But Roy felt he had something to impart about the mental side of the game

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