Sources say Streit will be out six months

According to multiple sources, Islanders defenseman Mark Streit will be out six months with a left shoulder injury and likely will require surgery. Initial test results indicate a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff, and the 32-year-old defenseman also may have suffered a dislocation.

Streit, who suffered the injury during the third period of Saturday's Orange vs. Blue intrasquad scrimmage at Nassau Coliseum, will seek a second opinion this week. He is expected to visit shoulder specialist Anthony Miniaci, the doctor who repaired Doug Weight's shoulder in March, at the Cleveland Clinic.

Streit was hit by Matt Moulson and fell into the boards awkwardly in what Moulson and coach Scott Gordon called a "fluke play."

"That's something you'd see on a daily basis in practice and nothing would happen. Everything just went wrong on one play," Gordon said yesterday. "I've watched it a few times and I don't think there's anything [Moulson] should even second-guess himself about."

After the play, Streit was doubled over in pain and skated off the ice clutching his left shoulder.

According to one source, his shoulder was out of its socket for 20 minutes. Streit, who was in severe pain, had to be given tranquilizers so medical staff could pop it back into place.

Moulson, who received a cross-checking penalty on the play, felt terrible about what happened. "I know it was a fluke, but I still felt bad," Moulson said. "Never like to see someone go down."

The loss of Streit, who had 11 goals and 38 assists last season, is a crushing blow to the Islanders. Streit not only was the cornerstone of the team's defense but the power-play quarterback and one of the team's top offensive threats. He also provided veteran leadership as an alternate captain last season.

Although the Islanders made a concerted effort to bolster their corps of defensemen during the offseason by adding James Wisniewski, Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina, Streit's absence will have a big impact.

"I don't think anyone replaces him," Gordon said. "You're talking about a guy that was in the top three in scoring on our team as a defenseman. That's pretty hard to match that; guys that do that are all-stars. I like who we have, but you can't expect them to be Mark Streit. If everyone turns up their play a certain percentage, hopefully that makes up the difference."

Notes & quotes: Five players have accepted training-camp tryouts with the Islanders. Forwards Dean McAmmond and Krys Kolanos, goaltenders Manny Legace and Joel Martin and defenseman Anders Eriksson will report to camp this week. A timetable for Kyle Okposo, who will be evaluated by a shoulder specialist Monday, is expected by Tuesday.