Copyright sportskeeda
Mathew Barzal was scratched for missing the New York Islanders' morning skate before a game in Carolina. The Islanders played the Hurricanes that night (October 30th) and lost the game 6-2 in Barzal's absence. Speaking to the media on October 31st before facing the Washington Capitals, Barzal said it was an 'alarm clock issue' and took full responsibility. "Mathieu [Darche] at the start of camp made clear that punctuality was a big thing," Barzal said. "He wants to set a culture here, as do all the players here. So, unfortunately, I was the first guy to have an alarm clock issue.”Later that night, Barzal, who is 28, scored an empty-net goal in a 3-1 win against the Capitals. But one funny thing happened that night.When the Islanders visited Washington, someone from the Capitals played a friendly prank. NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman shared the story in his Thursday column for The Athletic."When the Islanders visited Washington last week, someone with the Capitals who is friendly with Mathew Barzal jokingly had an alarm clock placed in his dressing room stall," Friedman wrote. "The talented forward missed the previous night’s game in Carolina because he was late for the morning skate. We learn our lessons, take our lumps and move on."So far, Barzal has been an important player for the Islanders' offense, scoring 3 goals and 7 assists in 12 games. He has 10 total points and a +6 rating, keeping his two-way play consistent. Barzal has had a five-game point streak this season and continues to create scoring chances for his team.Patrick Roy's take on scratching Mathew BarzalIslanders coach Patrick Roy had also given his explanation on the reason beheind sccratching Mathew Barzal in the Carolina game. Roy said punctuality is part of the team’s culture, and rules apply to everyone. "That's the culture of our team, and we made the decision to not play him tonight," Roy said in his pregame media interview on October 30. "And Barzi - he's he doesn't feel good about it, but he respects the decision. He understands it. He was really good about it. Roy shared that he experienced similar discipline during his own playing career and understood its importance. He said the decision was made to support team values and accountability.Roy had also confirmed that no one on the team was upset with Barzal. "No one here is mad at Barzi," Roy said. "Yeah. You know, it's just the culture that we put in place, and we're a team."Currently, the Islanders are 6-5-2 and sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division. Bo Horvat is leading the team with nine goals and 15 points, while Mathew Barzal has seven assists. Despite inconsistency, the Islanders have shown scoring potential, keeping them competitive early in the 2025-26 season.
