It was an impressive home opener and a fine first NHL win for new Islander coach Scott Gordon.
But it came with a worrisome footnote.
The Islanders soared to a three-goal first-period lead last night and were never truly threatened, earning a 5-2 win over the Blues in their home opener at the Coliseum.
But franchise goalie Rick DiPietro, coming off hip and knee surgery, sat a second straight game – even if he didn’t seem too concerned afterward.
“If I wasn’t backing up,” he said, “there’d be something to talk about.”
But this is Rick DiPietro, he of the 15-year contract. He was backing up – and it very much is something for Islander fans to talk about.
Gordon had said DiPietro would be a gametime decision, but ultimately the Isles must have determined that backup Joey MacDonald was the better option.
Gordon insisted DiPietro was “capable” of playing, and added, “Let me tell you, he wants to play.”
But the coach also warned, “Ricky could have played all three games and we could be 3-0 and the next thing you know, we head down to Florida [this week] and he’s out a month.”
An online TSN report said DiPietro’s left knee is swollen and has fluid in it, though DiPietro called that “completely false.”
He was on skates last night before the game, and there is a chance he could play tomorrow against Buffalo. Whenever he does play, it’ll be his first game since March 15.
“It’s going to be day to day,” he said. “The doctors have a plan for me, and we’ll do whatever it takes.”
In DiPietro’s place, McDonald played capably, stopping 24 of 26 shots, the highlight coming when he stopped a Keith Tkachuk breakaway in the second.
“It’s not too bad,” MacDonald said of surrendering two goals in each of his two games this year – the other Friday night’s loss to the Devils in Newark. “[I’d] like to even cut it down another one.”
In front of MacDonald, five goals different Islanders scored.
Just over two minutes into the first period, Mike Comrie banged in a rebound to put the Isles up 1-0. Goals from Trent Hunter and Sean Bergenheim made it 3-zip a little over 15 minutes in, and the Isles (1-1) later got tallies from Andy Hilbert and Bill Guerin.
As for Gordon’s first NHL win?
“Billy gave me the game puck and said that hopefully there’s many more to follow,” Gordons said.
Gordon said first-round pick Josh Bailey probably is going to be out between two and four weeks. His injury was not specified.