With the Islanders holding a 1-0 lead over the Flyers late in the first period of Tuesday’s preseason game in Bridgeport, Mat Barzal found Anders Lee in front of the Philadelphia net. Lee couldn’t get his first shot to go in, but then he slipped a backhand past Martin Jones for a goal in his first game since suffering a season ending knee injury this past March.
Welcome back Captain!
“It felt good to be out there,” said Lee after the Islanders’ 3-0 win at Webster Bank Arena. “Nice to get on the ice and be with the boys. It felt good at times and I’ll continue to build on this. I wasn’t really nervous about the knee or anything like that. I knew it was in a good spot and a good place. We’ve come a long way.”
The goal was vintage Anders Lee and it was something that the Islanders missed dearly in his absence, even though they reached the NHL’s final four for the second consecutive season. Lee was leading the Islanders with 12 goals at the time of his injury last season, so having his big frame back in the dirty areas in front of the net is going to be huge for a team that is again expected to contend for a Stanley Cup this season.
It was only a preseason game, but make no mistake about it: seeing Lee score that goal made everyone in Islanders Country smile, especially The Captain.
“It’s always just nice to get the feels and the touches and a get a little finishing going,” said Lee. “It was nice to pop one in and start this year off on a decent note.”
Listen to New York sports talk now on Audacy and shop the latest Islanders team gear
It was a moment that the Islanders have been waiting for since Lee was writhing in pain on the Nassau Coliseum ice after suffering that torn ACL against the Devils back on March 11. He worked hard in his rehab and when the videos of his skating sessions during the playoffs made the rounds on social media, there was a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of being able to return this season.
And now he’s back.
“He’s a pretty important player for us,” said Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz. “It was good that he scored. You could tell there was a little bit of rust to his game. I expect probably for him to play the next two games as well.”
The Islanders expect to have Lee in the lineup when they close out their preseason schedule with games on Thursday night against the Devils at the Prudential Center and Saturday night against the Rangers in Bridgeport.
Related
It certainly didn’t take very long for Lee and Barzal to rekindle the chemistry that they’ve built up over the few seasons. Without Lee, the Islanders tried to fill the void on the top line, and eventually put Leo Komarov there. That’s how it remained through the playoffs, but now Lee is back, and that could certainly have an impact on Barzal as he looks to take his game to a new level this coming season.
“Just that presence,” said Barzal. “Burying those goals in front and just creating space out there for me. It’s nice to have him back out there working plays on the power play, getting the puck low and he’s such a load. It’s going to be nice to have him winning battles for me in the corner.”
Barzal set up Lee for the goal on Tuesday night, but the secondary assist went to Kyle Palmieri, who has taken over the right wing spot on the top line after Jordan Eberle was taken by the Seattle Kraken in the NHL Expansion Draft. The irony is that when the Islanders placed Lee on long term injured reserve (LTIR) after he suffered the knee injury, they were able to use his salary cap figure to be able to obtain Palmieri from the Devils at the trade deadline last season.
The decision to add Palmieri to the mix on the top line with Lee and Barzal seemed like a no-brainer.
Related
“For the most part, Palms and (Lee) are predictable players,” Trotz said Tuesday morning when he announced that Lee was going to return. “When Barzy gains the zone, which he is terrific at doing, there’s times when he’ll slam on the brakes and look for a little bit of that second wave. A guy like Palms, at different levels of the offensive zone, he can get the puck where he can be available for Mathew when he’s making plays. I think the maturity of (Lee) and Palms as good pros with Barzy’s dynamic ability to do things, I think they’ll find a nice balance.”
One game is a small sample size, but the initial indications are that the Islanders’ new-look top line will be quite entertaining to watch. With Lee’s excellence down low and in the corners, Palmieri’s tenacity, scoring touch and ability to get open, and the magic of Barzal, this line has a chance to do a lot of special things this coming season.
But we’re not talking about this without the return of “The Captain.”
“It was great to be out there with those two,” said Lee. “I’ve obviously played a lot with Barzy, but to have Palms out there and getting to know one and other. We’ve been building in practice and now to take it into a game was really nice.”
Related
The Islanders have two more preseason games on their schedule, so there are a couple of more opportunities for the Islanders’ new top line to get some more work in before the regular season begins October 14 in Carolina, and a little more than a week for Lee to get back to where he was before the injury.
“Looking forward to the next one and just really getting ready for game one,” said Lee.
The Islanders and their fans waited patiently for the return of Anders Lee, and when that finally happened on Tuesday night, it was a sight for sore eyes. He is the unquestioned leader of the team and his importance to the organization, both on and off the ice, cannot be summed up with just numbers. “The Captain” makes things whole again for the Islanders who have some unfinished business that they want to complete this season.
If they accomplish their mission statement, then Lee will be summoned by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to come get a certain piece of hardware to hoist and skate around the ice with.
Follow Peter Schwartz on Twitter: @SchwartzSports
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch