Anders Lee scores wild goal off Penguins goaltender
Anders Lee #27 of the New York Islanders celebrates his first period goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammate Bo Horvat #14 at UBS Arena on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023 in Elmont, New York. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Anders Lee did everything but yell “Fore!”
He chipped in a backhander with the puck lying on Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith’s midsection for one of his two goals in the Islanders’ 5-4 comeback win on Friday night at UBS Arena.
“I haven’t really seen that,” coach Lane Lambert said. “That’s a guy who goes to the net and stays at the net. If there’s something laying around, wherever it might be laying, he has a possibility to put it in.”
Lee credited referee Kelly Sutherland with letting play continue rather than blowing it dead with the puck resting on DeSmith. The Penguins defenders seemed unsure what to do.
“He saw it and understood that that’s a loose puck,” Lee said. “Sometimes there are quick whistles. Great non-call by him to see the play and be ready for that.”
Parise’s 1,200th game
Zach Parise, 38, scored the winner as he played in his 1,200th game. He deflected attention when asked if the moment was special for him.
“It feels great for everybody,” he said. “With the standings, with the way things are right now, it was a great win.”
Parise also made his NHL debut against the Penguins with a goal and an assist for the Devils on Oct. 5, 2005.
Isles files
LW Josh Bailey logged only 7:38 as he exited with an unspecified issue at 16:17 of the second period . . . C Brock Nelson’s 12-game point streak is the Islanders’ longest since John Tavares had a 12-game streak in 2011-12 . . . C Andy Andreoff, 31, logged only 5:47 in his first NHL game this season . . . C Otto Koivula was re-assigned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport . . . G Semyon Varlamov is expected to start Saturday in Boston . . . D Parker Wotherspoon and LW Ross Johnston remained healthy scratches . . . It was Billy Smith Night as part of the Islanders’ Legends Series.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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