Grabner recovers quickly and plays
Michael Grabner #40 of the New York Islanders takes a shot past Alexei Emelin #74 of the Montreal Canadiens. (Nov. 17, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
Michael Grabner made a quick recovery from a groin injury he suffered Saturday night in Dallas, returning to the lineup Thursday night after missing only one game.
While the other two Islanders injured in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Stars -- Nino Niederreiter (concussion) and Rick DiPietro (groin) -- remained off the ice, Grabner skated in the morning and was good enough to go. Micheal Haley was the healthy scratch for the Isles.
Grabner, who entered the game with two goals in his previous 11 games despite a bevy of breakaway chances, returned armed with some new information. The coaching staff has been studying his missed breakaways and offered some advice.
"It looked like I had more time and space than maybe I thought I did," he said. "I had pretty good separation on some of them and had a little more time to make a play instead of sprinting to the net."
Injury updatesNiederreiter has been lifting weights and riding a stationary bike, but he's still not permitted to get back on the ice nearly a week after suffering a concussion on Stars defenseman Mark Fistric's high hit. Fistric was suspended three games for leaving his feet to deliver the blow.
Defenseman Andrew MacDonald (leg) also hasn't been cleared to skate, having gone on injured reserve Monday. He missed his fourth straight last night.
DiPietro also remained off the ice. Evgeni Nabokov (groin) skated as he inches closer to coming off IR.
Wallace regularly on call
Tim Wallace, who came up on an emergency recall to play in Tuesday's game with fewer healthy bodies, was switched to a regular recall to stay up and play Thursday night.
