As reported by Greg Logan this afternoon, Captain Bill Guerin is out for tonight’s game due to an eye injury last game.
Guerin was hit in the eye by a puck in Saturday’s home win over the Devils and is suffering from a condition known as hyphema, which is bleeding in the anterior chamber of the eye.
When Guerin was hit by the puck, it caused a blood vessel to burst and essentially turned the eye red and made it difficult to see when he took two brief shifts at the start of the third period. The Islanders described Guerin’s condition as day-to-day while he waits for the swelling around the eye to subside and for his vision to clear.
The good news is Guerin is just day to day, and the Isles will get Sean Bergenhein back in the lineup tonight.
Team Spokesman Chris Botta spoke with the bloggers before we left, and Newsday’s Mark Herrmann. Very scary, he was cut near the eye and had trouble seeing for a little while. He’s been examined by the team eye doctor and things look OK. Whether or not he’ll be playing Tuesday will be determined Monday at practice.
The Islanders announced after midnight that Rick DiPietro was examined by team opthalmologist Dr. Bruce Zagelbaum, who determined that the goalie has no permanent damage in his eye. The team had been encouraged when Zagelbaum decided to examine DiPietro in his office, rather than at the hospital. No further updates are expected until Monday afternoon, team spokesman Chris Botta said.
The $67-Million-Dollar-Man has been medically cleared to practice today. This doesn’t mean he’ll be in net for any of the games against Buffalo but it does greatly increase the possibility. I just hope the Isles and DP aren’t risking making things a lot worse by rushing him back.
Update from Yahoo! Sports
Rick DiPietro skated before the rest of the New York Islanders practiced on Tuesday, but Wade Dubielewicz is expected to start in goal in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series against Buffalo.
DiPietro hasn’t played or even practiced with the team since the second of two concussions sustained 12 days apart sidelined him following a March 25 loss to the New York Rangers. The 25-year-old goalie, in the first season of a 15-year deal with the Islanders, hopes to have a neurological exam at the end of this week that could clear him to play in the postseason.
“I felt really good,” DiPietro said. “As long as I don’t have headaches. It’s been a while since I got the nauseous feeling, so it seems like everything’s going in the right direction. Obviously you have to go through the right channels and the right steps, and hopefully I’ll be ready soon.
“It was good to be back on the ice, and around the guys, I forgot how to put my equipment on for a second, but I felt good.”
The Islanders have fessed up to the worst kept secret in hockey these days…that goaltender Rick DiPietro suffered a concussion on March 13th when he collided with Montreal’s Steve Begin. What you might not know is that DP actually suffered two concussions, thanks to Rangers’ pest Sean Avery last Sunday.
The head injuries goaltender Rick DiPietro suffered March 13 in Montreal and again last Sunday in a home game against the Rangers were diagnosed as mild concussions, Islanders general manager Garth Snow now admits. But DiPietro’s condition is not considered career-threatening, and Snow maintains he was not rushed back into action prematurely after the first concussion.
DiPietro did not accompany the Islanders on their flight to Buffalo yesterday for tonight’s game at HSBC Arena because he still is suffering the classic symptoms of a concussion - headaches, diminished mental acuity and some nausea and dizziness. If those symptoms subside and DiPietro subsequently passes a neuro-psychological exam, he still could return to play some or all of the five regular-season games remaining after the Sabres match.
DiPietro wanted to return two games after the original concussion, at Florida, but the medical staff made him wait three more days until March 20 at Tampa Bay. Asked if that was premature, Snow said, “No. He was diagnosed with a mild concussion. His CT scan was fine, he had six days of rest, and he was monitored by the medical staff. He had no complaints leading up to the games.”
DiPietro played the next four games, going 2-0-2 with eight goals allowed on 122 shots. Then he was involved in a pileup in which Rangers forward Sean Avery landed on DiPietro’s head before several other players piled on. He also took a shot off the facemask. After that game, DiPietro complained of headaches and was held out Tuesday against the Devils.
The bottom line is that DP did not make the trip to Buffalo tonight, Mike Dunham will start in net again.
Uh-oh. This news just hit TSN.com, there is no confirmation of this on NewYorkIslanders.com or Newsday.com. Stay tuned…and cross your fingers. Oh and if you see Wade Dubielewicz on I95 headed south, drop us a tip at IslandersArmy@gmail.com.
Netminder Rick DiPietro is out indefinitely, suffering from post-concussion syndrome. Sources tell TSN DiPietro is not feeling well and did not pass a neuro-psychological exam and will be out of the lineup until he feels better and can pass the test.
But wait, the Isles said he didn’t have a concussion in the first place…hmmm.
[UPDATE] DP is out tonight. It’s been confirmed by Islanders’ beat writer Greg Logan with an Islanders statement scheduled for 5pm.
The Islanders’ tenuous playoff hopes might just have suffered a crippling blow. Goaltender Rick DiPietro has been ruled out of tonight’s game against the Devils and goaltender Martin Brodeur, who has yielded one goal in the past three meetings with the Isles.
No official announcement has been made yet by the Islanders, but DiPietro was not at the morning skate, and he likely is suffering from post-concussion syndrome. The team is expected to issue a statement around 5 p.m. today.
Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz has been recalled from Bridgeport for the Devils game. Although coach Ted Nolan said he was prepared to start Dubielewicz in a recent game at Tampa Bay after three poor outings by backup Mike Dunham, there has been no indication of whom Nolan will start tonight.
Here’s the latest on DP from Newsday.com. With no official injury announcement policy, NHL clubs are notorious from holding back injury info especially around playoff time. Although it was never publicly said, this has “concussion” written all over it.
The club’s previous description of DiPietro’s injury as “general body soreness” is beginning to look, as one Ottawa radio host cleverly put it, like “general b.s.” DiPietro declined to be interviewed Friday, telling a club spokesman he’s “not feeling well.”
From NewYorkIslanders.com, here’s the update on DP’s injury.
After being re-evaluated today in Montreal by medical personnel and the Islanders training staff, goaltender Rick DiPietro will be a “game-time decision” for Thursday night’s match against the Senators in Ottawa.
DiPietro is experiencing neck stiffness from a collision with Montreal’s Steve Begin late in the first period of the Islanders’ 5-3 loss on Tuesday night in Montreal.
Islanders’ beat writer Greg Logan spoke with Coach Nolan and DP. It’s expected DP will sit tonight and should be back for Saturday’s game.
Although Nolan declined to say whether or not DiPietro officially was diagnosed with a concussion, another high-ranking person in the organization said they don’t believe he has a concussion. DiPietro has some stiffness in his neck and “general soreness,” but the feeling is he’s likely to miss one game and probably will return for the final two games of this road trip at Florida and Tampa Bay. It’s even possible DiPietro might skate tomorrow morning in Ottawa, so, you never know.
Rick DiPietro got hurt with about 4 minutes to go in the first period when he collided with the Canadiens’ Begin on a near-breakaway. Begin and DiPietro both skated full speed toward a loose puck just inside the Isles’ blueline. DP came flying out of the net to prevent a breakaway. He slid head first and poked the puck away. Begin tried to avoid DP but his knee still collided with DP’s head or shoulder. It was tough to see in replays or live action. Mike Dunham came in the game. It’s his first action since Feb. 1.
Dunham had an immediate impact, including turning away several Montreal chances during the first three minutes of a 4-minute minor power thanks to a high-sticking call on Ryan Smyth. The first period ended with about one minute left on the power play.
Isles lead 1-0 on an Alexei Yashin goal.
Smyth scores on a penalty shot early in the second period.
Mid-second period, the Canadiens have stormed back to tie the game 2-2. I’m likely gone for the rest of the night. Go Isles.
[UPDATE] Isles fall apart in the 3rd and lose the game 5-3. Here’s the latest from Newsday’s Greg Logan on DP.
But he was taken to the hospital during the game to be examined for a head injury after a collision with Steve Begin’s right leg near the Islanders’ blue line at 15:41 of the first period. After the game, coach Ted Nolan said, “We’ll wait until tomorrow to get a doctor’s opinion on the seriousness and the length of time. He’s a little groggy. That’s quite a hit he took. We’ll give him 24 hours and evaluate it from there.”
An Islanders spokesman said no further word on DiPietro’s condition will be released until after tomorrow’s 1:30 p.m. practice in Montreal. The team then will fly to Ottawa after practice for a game Thursday. One teammate indicated it’s “nothing serious,” but no definitive information was available and it’s unclear whether DiPietro is suffering from a temporary headache or a concussion.
[UPDATE 2] Video of DP’s injury has poppped up on YouTube in case you missed it last night.
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From NewYorkIslanders.com and just in time for tonight’s Islanders/Rangers re-match comes word that Alexei Yashin has been cleared to return to action.
After sitting out for over a month, Alexei Yashin will return to the ice Thursday and suit up against the Rangers at the Nassau Coliseum.
“It’s been a long five weeks,” said Yashin. “The doctors said I can play tomorrow, so I hope to help the team for the playoff drive.”
In 42 games this season, Yashin as compiled 13 goals and 25 assists, good for 38 points. He ranks third on the team in power play assists with 13.
“I feel very good,” said Yashin. “It’s exciting to get back out there and compete.”
