It’s impossible to make the argument that Islanders coach Jack Capuano isn’t trying, or that he doesn’t care.
Yet, as of late, it’s easy to make the argument that all of the effort and passion has gone for naught, as Capuano’s team fell again on Saturday night at the Coliseum, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Capitals which was the Islanders’ sixth loss in a row — the past five being without the loser’s point — and 11th loss in the past 13 games.
And on Friday, the home fans chanted for his head, the singsong of “Fire Cappy” echoing off the crumbling walls. It was bloodlust for the man that was behind the bench as the franchise turned a very difficult corner, making the playoffs just six months ago for the first time since 2007.
“The atmosphere in this building during the playoffs and last spring, there’s nothing I want more than to recreate that,” Capuano told The Post on Saturday morning, knowing full well he is the one in the position to take the brunt of the fans’ angst. “I’m just as frustrated as [the fans] are. We’re doing everything we can to turn this around.”
Capuano is making roster moves almost every night, in part to deal with some big injuries, and in part to try and inspire some of his players who are struggling to regain their form from last season. Most notably, that was winger Josh Bailey on Friday, as he sat and watched as a healthy scratch while his team was absolutely run out of the building in a 5-0 loss to the Red Wings.
“To me, it’s not a wake-up call for Josh,” said Capuano, who played Bailey 15:20 after reinserting him back into the lineup in place of rookie Brock Nelson. “I think knowing that the way that he played against Pittsburgh in the playoffs, and watching the way he played and how he started the year, [he knows] how he needs to get back playing.”
Bailey didn’t do much in his return, getting just one shot on a goal and having the unfortunate distinction of being on the ice as Alex Ovechkin won it for the Capitals in overtime. But for one, Bailey doesn’t think that Capuano is losing his locker room during this downturn.
“I think the coaches have done a good job of trying to keep us upbeat and trying to keep us positive,” Bailey said. “As players, we try and do a good job, but it’s tough when you’ve had some of the games we’ve had. When you think about the game, it’s frustrating. But you have to look at the next game as a new opportunity.”
Capuano was afforded an opportunity four Novembers ago, when he took over for the fired Scott Gordon, who was in the midst of a similar losing streak. Now he has a team that is struggling to perform, no matter what he tries to do.
“It almost like doubt is your biggest opponent,” Capuano said. “It’s not even the Capitals or the team that you’re focusing on. It’s yourself.”
The coach might have been talking about the players, but he could have very well been talking about his own fate.
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Defenseman Calvin de Haan, 23, made his season debut for the Islanders after being recalled from AHL Bridgeport on Thanksgiving. It was the second career NHL game for the No. 12-overall pick from the 2009 draft, going through two shoulder surgeries over the past two seasons.
“I thought he was one of our top defenseman out there tonight,” Capuano said after de Haan logged 20:07 of ice time, got two shots on net and had four hits. “He is as advertised. He’s poised, good first pass, he makes good decision. I thought his gap was good, good stick. I really liked his game.”
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The Islanders are struggling without two top-four defensemen in Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) and Brian Strait (upper-body), both out indefinitely and not close to returning. De Haan was called up to replace fellow rookie Matt Donovan, sent to Bridgeport on Thursday.