#Barry Trotz preaching focus as Islanders go for Capitals sweep

The Islanders are face-to-face with their second opportunity to sweep a team this postseason.

And after whiffing on their first chance during the best-of-five play-in series against the Florida Panthers earlier this month, the Islanders are looking to ensure the opportunity doesn’t pass them by a second time.

The Islanders’ 3-2 loss to the Panthers in Game 3 on Aug. 5 is their only loss since arriving in the Toronto bubble and the only game in which they allowed more than two goals this postseason. Trotz said he thought the team played well despite not earning the win and that he wouldn’t change a whole lot.

“I thought we were a bit loose in that game, I just don’t want us to be loose,” coach Barry Trotz said on a Zoom call prior to Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Washington Capitals. “We understand what’s at stake, we understand our opponent.”

But the Islanders will have to play their game for 60 minutes in order to get a different outcome this time around.

“Number one thing is just get to our identity quick, get to our game quick, have a good start and see if we can continue on it,” Trotz said.

“We’re focused, they’re focused,” he added. “They focus on the right things…They’re focused on the end game every game.”

Trotz has been critical of the way the Islanders have opened games during this first-round series. But after the Islanders’ first-period performance in their 2-1 overtime win in Game 3 Sunday, in which they took a 1-0 lead after outshooting Washington 14-6, Trotz is stressing just how important it will be for the team to do it again.

Additionally, Trotz is looking for the Islanders to have an unwavering trust in their lineup from top to bottom.

“Trust that everybody does their job, just do your job and do it well,” he said. “If you do that then you have to go through more than one person. There’s not areas of the ice that are free, we want that ice, you have to earn that ice.”

Prior to closing out the series with the Panthers, the Islanders noted just how difficult it is to face a team on the brink of elimination. It’s pretty evident they have the same mindset heading into Tuesday night’s game, considering several players were already looking ahead after going up 3-0 in the series Sunday.

It may be a different opponent and a different series, but the Islanders are still preaching that Game 4 will be the hardest matchup of the series.

“We’re going to get their best game tonight,” defenseman Andy Greene said Tuesday. “We have to be able to match it and be a determined group out there. It is always the toughest game and we got to make sure we’re ready right from the start.

“You know they’re going to be ready, and we’ll go from there.”