As stellar as goaltender Thomas Greiss was between the pipes again for the Islanders on Saturday, perhaps their finest save of the day came from an unlikely source.
Jordan Eberle returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a leg injury, and the first-line winger made a dramatic, sprawling save behind Greiss on the goal line to deny the Panthers’ Brett Connolly in the second period of the Islanders’ 2-1 victory at Barclays Center.
“That probably was the best save of my career,” Eberle said after the game. “I thought I saw the puck dribble behind Greisser, so I had my stick back there, and then I noticed it popped up and I saw the guy coming down. It was kind of a fire drill from there. You do your best Greisser impression and try to make a save.”
Eberle, who was reunited with regular linemates Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal, had four shots on goal and was plus-1 over 14:47 of ice time.
Defenseman Nick Leddy (15:06) also was back in the lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury.
Islanders center Casey Cizikas left the game following the second period with a leg injury after blocking an Aaron Ekblad shot earlier in the game, but coach Barry Trotz said indications are he “should be OK.”
Cizikas will be re-evaluated Monday, two days before the Islanders return to Nassau Coliseum to face former captain John Tavares and the Maple Leafs.
As the corresponding move for Eberle’s activation, the Islanders returned 2018 first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom (11th overall) on loan to AHL Bridgeport after the winger appeared in nine games with no points. His three-year, entry-level contract will slide until next season as long as he does not appear in 10 NHL games. … Forwards Cole Bardreau and Otto Koivula also were loaned to Bridgeport.