Tuesday night’s excruciating loss to the Rangers is going to hurt the Islanders for longer than expected.
Not only did they get blown out 5-0 on the scoreboard, but the Islanders learned yesterday that goalie Chris Osgood will be lost for three to four weeks with an ankle sprain and defenseman Eric Cairns will be out up to six weeks with a dislocated shoulder.
Osgood was knocked out when Bobby Holik crashed the net and slammed into him in the third period, while Cairns, also in the final period, was blasted into the glass on a wicked check in the neutral zone.
Rick DiPietro and Ray Schultz will join the Isles for the road trip through Philadelphia and Columbus this weekend, giving the Islanders their most inexperienced defense in Peter Laviolette’s tenure behind the bench.
Adrian Aucoin remains out with a strained groin, leaving only Roman Hamrlik, Kenny Jonsson, Mattias Timander and Radek Martinek the only regulars left. Sven Butenschon was recalled last week when Aucoin went down.