The Islanders have played well the last two weeks,. They just swept the Rangers in the regular season series, with their win last night. That makes it three straight wins and five wins in their last six games. But this little run that the Islanders have been on has come at a price. You can add another name to the long growing list of Islanders players on the injury list. Anders Lee got hit in the leg in the first period of last nights Rangers game. Johnny Boychuck took the shot that hit Lee in the leg. He tried to tough it out and keep playing, he is a hockey player after all. Once the period ended, Lee was in so much pain he didn't come back to finish the game out. After getting his leg checked out it was revealed that it was a broken left fibula, thus ending the young forward's season. Lee had 36 points on 15 goals and 21 assists through 80 games this year. This adds a big blow to the Islanders offense and another name that you can chalk to the injury list.
Lee (leg) joins Matt Martin (Shoulder day to day could be back this weekend), Brian Strait (Upper Body could be back by playoffs), Jean-Francois Berube (Lower Body could be ready by playoffs), Cal Clutterbuck (Lower Body is day to day), Mikhail Grabovski (Concussion, hasn't started skating yet no timetable), Travis Hamonic (Knee may miss the rest of the year again), Jaroslav Halak (Groin, could be back by 2nd round should the Islanders get there). This team looks more like the walking wonder more than anything going into the final two games of the year.
One of things that people sited last year in the playoffs was the injury to Hamonic in the series against Washington. Not having their best defender is one of the reasons people felt they lost that series. Now there's a lot more going on. Halak has been out since the start of March and the Islanders have been holding the fort down with Greiss in net.But I think his inexperience come the start of the playoffs next week is going to end up hurting them. Lets not mix the facts up here, Greiss has played great this year, going 23-11-4 with the 1 shutout on the year. The only thing that has me worried about this situation, at least as far as goalies go, is how well Greiss can play in the playoffs. Because out of him, John Gibson (the 4th stringer) and Berube, who will be back by the playoffs (we hope), Greiss is the Islanders best bet to carry them till Halak gets back.
Without Hamonic, I'm a little worried that the team will see a repeat of last year, which was another quick playoff exit. Some felt the team was pushed around without their best defender, and that might happen again if he isn't healthy. Then there's the banged up forward crop. Martin and Clutterbuck will be back by playoff time, which means that 4th line will be back and causing as much havok as possible. Lee not playing could be a difference, because, despite the fact that he hasn't quite put up the scoring numbers he did last year, he still a physical role. He's a power forward who makes the sight lines tough on goalies. Now its not there.
The Islanders are thin at the forward spot a little heading towards the playoffs, which could be a bad thing depending on who they're playing. If its the Panthers, then I'd give the Islanders more hope. For that to happen the Islanders would have to lose out and the Rangers pass them again in the standings. If things stay the way they are right now, its the Penguins, which would be a rematch of the 2013 playoffs. Either way, the Islanders had better find a way to make this work, otherwise its another quick playoff exit.
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