If there is anything in the Islanders’ locker room that’s tearing them apart, it should be a rift between the few players that are trying and the majority of them that look like they just don’t care.

Because it’s obvious once again that this is a divided group of individuals that really couldn’t care less about the guy next to them.

“We dug a huge hole,” Steve Stirling said of the four-game losing streak the team brought into last night’s game against the Flyers. “We’re in a funk, been there for more games than I’d like to admit. We haven’t been willing, all 20 guys, on any given night, to work together.”

Friday night in a 6-0 loss at Detroit, it appeared the slugs had taken control of the majority in the room, and the result was the worst Islander performance in over two years.

“It was not a good night,” Stirling said when asked if he’s ever been more ashamed of his team.

In fact, there are others that are being represented by this poor collection of uncaring hockey players, from Stirling and his assistants, to the GM, Mike Milbury, all the way up to owner Charles Wang, who signs all their checks.

They should all be enraged, yet they remain silent.

The Detroit loss was rock bottom for the Islanders. It wasn’t so much the final score, but the way they went about playing a classless brand of hockey, devoid of effort or respect for their opponents, that should be rubbing the bosses the wrong way.

“I don’t think we’ve been doing our jobs, that’s for sure,” Mark Parrish said. “It’s one thing if you lose a heartbreaker and go out there and leave it all out on the line, and you don’t get the bounces. To go out there and not put forth any effort at all, is embarrassing. I can’t think of another word right now.”

For example, Eric Cairns, who did not stick up for Michael Peca last week when the captain was cross-checked by Columbus’ Jody Shelley right in front of his eyes, was thrown out of the Detroit game.

He attacked Darryl Bootland from behind and continued punching him in the back of the head for virtually no reason at all besides the fact that he was frustrated, probably at himself for not being able to skate or defend very well.

It’s a wonder Cairns hasn’t been benched yet this season. Later, Adrian Aucoin, in his worst game as an Islander, turned around and bashed rookie Nate Robinson out of sheer frustration, while Arron Asham later went at it with Jason Williams for the same reason.

In total, the Isles accrued 14 penalties for 47 minutes against the best power play in the NHL.

“It’s taking the easy way out. There’s a right way and a wrong way in life,” Stirling said. “The right way is to work hard, if you fall behind, no matter what the score is. Go work hard, pay your dues … and do the little things that might get you going. We take the easy way out.

“Some of it is frustration, I clearly understand that. Still, taking the easy way out, you can’t do that. You’re not going anywhere doing stuff like that. That’s not smart hockey.

“It’s not like I was a tough guy and I’m advocating that,” he said. “It’s just not smart hockey.”

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Islanders, who began five-game homestand last night, take on Capitals Tuesday and Rangers Thursday.