New York Islanders captain Anders Lee avoids extra discipline after his illegal hit on New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier on Sunday night.
New York Islanders captain Anders Lee avoids extra discipline after his illegal hit on New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier on Sunday night.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders captain Anders Lee will not face any supplementary discipline from the NHL's Department of Player Safety for his actions against New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier on Sunday night.
In the midst of a brutal second period for the Islanders, allowing three goals in what became a 4-0 loss to the Devils, Lee went knee-on-knee on Hischier, leading to a five-minute major and a game misconduct after a league review:
"I felt the penalty on the ice was sufficient," Islanders captain Anders Lee said following Tuesday's practice. "Obviously, I'm just going in to try poke-check and get into Hischier there. He's moving. I kept my lane, and I ended up -- I do, I get him -- completely unintentional, and I'm glad to see that he came back and played the rest of the game, but as a result of the play, I think I got called appropriately."
"In full speed, it happens fast. He's trying to avoid me at the same time, and things happen, but obviously, I don't want to see something like that."
Following the hit, Devils forward Timo Meier retaliated against Lee, as both parties dropped the gloves:
"Anytime you get a piece of somebody, you expect that," Lee said. 'So, no problem with that at all."
Lee was given five minutes for a major knee-on-knee penalty, five minutes for fighting, and a game misconduct.
Meier earned two minutes for insitigating, a five-minute major for fighting, and a 10-minute misconduct.
Hischier, who left the ice after the hit, did return for the start of the third period.
Lee and the Islanders are back in action on Thursday night against the Florida Panthers before heading to Tampa on Saturday night to face the Lightning in an effort to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot.
"It's important that Anders is [on the trip]," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "I never had a doubt in my mind that he would not be suspended, quite honestly. But anyway, it's over for this one. We need everybody, but not just in the lineup. We need everybody playing well."