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Islanders return to the ice, lose ninth-straight game

Robert Pelaez
The Islanders returned to the ice on Thursday after having two games postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak. (Photo courtesy of the governor's office)

The Islanders returned to the ice on Thursday night after having two games postponed due to multiple players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Initially scheduled to play the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively, NHL officials announced upwards of eight Islanders players entered the protocol following a 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Following league clearance, the team returned to practice on Wednesday, with forwards Ross Johnston and captain Anders Lee and defensemen Andy Greene and Adam Pelech fully participating after being in the protocol.

Forward Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Zdeno Chara were also removed from protocol and practiced with the team prior to Thursday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, while forward Casey Cizikas, who entered the protocol on Saturday, remained sidelined, officials said.

Pelech told NHL.com that he hopes the return of some key players can jump-start things on both sides of the puck, following Thursday’s practice.

“Hopefully the first group of us returning here from the COVID list, it gives us a jolt of energy and we can really bring energy and positivity and something to the group that we’ve been missing with all the guys out,” Pelech said.

Though the home crowd at UBS Arena welcomed the team on the ice, they were treated with their ninth-consecutive loss, falling to San Jose in overtime 2-1. Since the team’s new home at Belmont officially opened on Nov. 20, the Islanders have lost all five games by a combined score of 15-4, with three being multiple-score losses.

Lee, who is fourth on the team in goals on the season with four, told NHL.com the team is headed in the right direction despite the team’s recent struggles and having to play their first 13 games on the road so UBS Arena could finish construction.

I think tonight was a good indication we’re headed in the right direction,” Lee said. “I think at times when we got [penalized], and I think it killed a little bit of our momentum, but our penalty killers got it right back and had a really strong game. We’ve just got to find a way to get that extra point at the end there.”

As of Thursday, the Islanders were last in the Metropolitan Division with an overall record of 5-10-3, with a goal differential of -21, tied for fourth-worst in the league.

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