With the Vancouver Canucks fell to 2-3-3 at home this season, head coach Rick Tocchet apologized to his spectators after a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders THURSDAY.

“I apologize to the fans,” Tocchet said. “We’re not playing well enough at home. It’s my fault. The guys played slow tonight. I thought we were ready to go. We weren’t. It’s our fault.

“I have to get this team to play harder. In the first half, (there were) surges here and there, but not enough from a lot of guys. We have practice tomorrow and go back to the drawing board .

The Canucks came out of the first period Thursday tied 1-1 with the Islanders despite dominating 9-3 in the first period. The Islanders dominated the second period, scoring two goals while outshooting the Canucks 15-3. The Canucks fought back in the third with a 20-8 shot advantage, but trailed 5-1 before Tyler Myers added a goal late.

The Islanders improved to 7-6-4 with the win, rebounding from two straight overtime losses.

“(We) didn’t move our feet. We talked about hitting the weak side; we didn’t do it. The forwards were skating backwards instead of hitting,” Tocchet said of the loss. “It’s not the defense or the forwards, it’s all five.

“I give the Islanders credit. (They are) a well-coached team tonight. Patrick (Roy) surpassed me tonight.

The Canucks continue to be in the playoff picture entering the season, thanks in large part to a 6-1-0 record on the road. Tocchet admitted he struggled to find an answer to the extreme difference in his team’s performance when away from the comfort of home.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. That’s the answer I need to get,” Tocchet said. “We have to change skates pregame or do something different because we can’t play light. We’re too light a team. You can’t guess where the puck is going. You don’t have to killing people, you don’t have to drive guys through the boards – although every once in a while I wouldn’t mind – I prefer a guy to stay right in front of a guy in front of the net, he. there are too many unclear goals. This has to stop.”

The loss to the Islanders marked the third game of a six-game homestand, in which the Canucks started 1-2-0. Vancouver will host the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday with matches to follow against Nashville Predators And New York Rangers before embarking on a six-game road trip.