Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri out six-to-eight months with knee injury

NEW YORK (AP) — Islanders forward Kyle Palmeiri will be out six-to-eight months with a knee injury that will require surgery, the team said Sunday.

The 34-year-old forward tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the second period of Friday's 4-3 shootout loss to Philadelphia at UBS Arena when he was checked by Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale and fell awkwardly into the boards near the opposing net.

Palmeiri was still able to steal the puck from a Flyers defenseman and register the secondary assist on a goal by Emil Heineman.

Palmeiri had six goals and 12 assists in 25 games this season. The gritty forward joined the Islanders in a trade with New Jersey in April 2021. He had played 223 straight games for the Islanders before Friday's injury.

Palmieri was a first-round pick by Anaheim in 2009. He has 276 goals and 269 assists in 925 regular-season games with the Ducks, Devils and Islanders.

The Islanders also lost defenseman Alexander Romanov to a serious shoulder injury earlier this month. Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau is also out with an upper-body injury.

New York (13-9-3) hosts Washington on Sunday.

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