DiPietro's injury doesn't seem to be serious
Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro celebrates after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout. (Dec. 29, 2010) Credit: Jim McIsaac
EDMONTON - Though Rick DiPietro's groin injury does not appear to be serious, the Islanders have called up a second goaltender from Bridgeport as an emergency backstop to fellow former Sound Tiger Nathan Lawson.
Kevin Poulin will join the team Wednesdayin Calgary in case DiPietro is unable to play for the remainder of the Islanders' road trip, which continues in Edmonton Friday.
DiPietro suffered a groin strain early in the second period of Monday's 5-2 win over Calgary, forcing him to leave the game. Lawson replaced DiPietro and turned away 28 of 29 shots to lead the Islanders to their sixth win in seven games.
DiPietro walked around with no visible limp or discomfort after the game and said he wasn't too concerned.
"It was a little tweak," he said. "I'll be back as soon as possible."
DiPietro's injury occurred only two days after the Islanders dealt veteran netminder Dwayne Roloson to Tampa Bay in exchange for defensive prospect Ty Wishart. Hence Poulin's call-up.
The 20-year-old Poulin, who is 10-4-0 in 14 games for the Sound Tigers this season, is regarded as the top goaltending prospect in the Islanders' system. He has split time with Lawson and Finnish prospect Mikko Koskinen.
DiPietro suffered the groin strain after denying the Flames' Jarome Iginla on two straight attempts early in the second period.
"I don't know if a man's body is supposed to be contorted in those positions," DiPietro said. "I felt a little twinge and hopefully it's nothing serious."
Although he recently returned from a brief stint on injured reserve for swelling in his surgically repaired knee, DiPietro said this most recent injury did not aggravate any pre-existing conditions.
"Knee is great," he said.
When asked after the game if he was confident he'd play again on this road trip - the Islanders will continue from Edmonton to Colorado and Chicago - DiPietro was cautious, saying, "It's how I feel when I wake up, what the trainer says and we'll go from there."
Notes & quotes: Frans Nielsen also suffered a groin strain in Monday's game and received treatment Tuesday. The Islanders did not practice. They took a day trip to the ski resort town of Banff.
