In the 365 days Jack Capuano has been the Islanders coach, he has never been more publicly upset and decidedly searing toward his team than he has been over the past week.
But after the Islanders wrapped up a 0-2-1 road trip with a 4-1 loss at Vancouver on Sunday, giving them a 1-6-3 mark in their past 10 games, the coach had a moment to reflect yesterday.
“Emotions are high because you expect a lot of them,” Capuano told The Post. “With that being said, we as a team, as a coaching staff, we have to find a way to play better.”
After Sunday’s game, he said, “We had a few guys take a night off.” After a 6-2 loss in Boston on Nov. 7, Capuano said, “I was just real disappointed with some guys’ work ethic tonight.”
Those are harsh words from a man known as a players’ coach. But after a cross-country trip and a non-skating day to prepare for the Rangers tonight at the Coliseum, Capuano had his emotions a little more in check.
“No one is going to feel bad for us,” Capuano said, “but we have to find a way to get out of this.”
Brain Rolston is one of the veterans brought in during the off-season to try and keep this team from falling into the type of lull they’re in right now and avoiding a repeat of last season’s 1-17-3 early-season skid that got Scott Gordon fired and Capuano promoted one year ago today. But Rolston, who was indirectly called out by Capuano last week in Boston after finishing the game minus-3, thinks his team isn’t too far off.
“I don’t think it’s a lack of effort,” said Rolston, who admitted to not knowing about his coach’s comments. “I think we’ve got a bunch of guys that can win if we’re in it together as a team.”
One thing that could help is yesterday’s promotion of winger Nino Niederreiter, the team’s first-round pick last year (No. 5 overall) after a six-game conditioning stint in Bridgeport.
“I will tell you that, as a player and as a coach, you don’t always sit a guy for his performance,” said Capuano, speaking about finding a roster spot for Niederreiter. “Sometimes mentally, it’s good to see the game from a different view.”