Anders Lee wasn’t so upset that his apparent game-tying goal was disallowed at the end of the Islanders’ loss to the Maple Leafs on Thursday.
The reason?
Lee figured that if the Islanders had gotten the break on the initial call — the puck was ruled to be frozen under Joseph Woll before he jammed it in — the goal would have been wiped off anyway for goalie interference.
“To me, the puck’s loose,” he said after the ruling with 23 seconds to go in regulation resulted in a 2-1 defeat at UBS Arena. “But if the puck’s loose, I think we’re losing the call either way ’cause then they’re just gonna call goalie interference.
“You just jam until you hear a whistle. Jammed it. I think the whistle had blown at the same time. Whatever, puck goes in. It’s under him but it’s not covered, if that makes sense, ’cause it’s loose. Who knows what happens if it’s a goal and they challenge for the poke or whatever.”
Though the fans at UBS Arena were incensed with the ruling, there wasn’t much anger about it in the Islanders’ dressing room.
Coach Patrick Roy said he felt it was a quick whistle, but didn’t disagree that the play was dead.
“I figured it wouldn’t be a goal,” Mathew Barzal said. “I didn’t even see it.”
That is, to some degree, just how things are going for the Islanders right now.
They are not expecting any breaks to go their way.
Isaiah George entered concussion protocol after Max Domi’s elbow to the head ended his night early.
Roy did not have any additional updates on the defenseman’s status.
Kyle MacLean went to the dressing room after appearing to take a stick to the face early in the third period.
Roy said he was fine.
However, MacLean didn’t play for game’s last 13:13.
Semyon Varlamov (lower body) skated on his own for the first time since getting hurt, but did not face any shots, Roy said. Varlamov last played on Nov. 29.
Simon Holmstrom (upper body) missed a second straight game against the Leafs.
There was no update on his status.
Mike Reilly (heart) was on the ice prior to the start of morning skate Thursday, but did not stay out with the team.
Former head coach Lane Lambert returned to UBS Arena for the first time as an associate coach with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto took the season series over the Islanders, 2-1, with the win Thursday.
