EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Anders Lee believed his punishment fit his infraction of a knee-to-knee hit on New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier during the Islanders’ 4-0 loss on Sunday.
With just over three minutes to go in the second period, Lee’s hit momentarily forced Hischier out of the game after the two collided near the left boards by the Devils’ blue line. The Islanders captain was administered a five-minute major and a match penalty, but is not facing discipline such as a suspension or fine from the league.
“I felt the penalty on the ice was sufficient,” Lee said on Tuesday. “I was just going in to get a poke-check and get into Hischier there and by the end of it, he’s moving, I keep my lane, and I do [get him]. It was completely unintentional and I’m glad to see him come back and play the rest of the game.
“But as a result of the play, I think it got called appropriately. In full speed, it happens fast, he’s trying to avoid me at the same time and things happen but obviously, you don’t want to see something like that happen in the way it did.”
Anders Lee was given a major penalty and game misconduct for kneeing against Nico Hischier pic.twitter.com/fpazmGDyPH
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 24, 2024
This was Lee’s first match penalty of his career — the punishment limited to just in-game rather than through the league likely because Hischier managed to return to the game in the third period.
“I think he knows that I don’t play that way or anything,” Lee continued. “It was unintentional, just a really bad result. I was glad to see that was all that came of it… I’m glad he’s healthy and there’s nothing more than that.”
Following the hit on Hischier, Devils forward Timo Meier jumped to his captain’s defense and dropped the gloves with the Islanders winger, which was something Lee saw coming.
“Anytime you get a piece of somebody, you expect that,” he said. “No problem at all.”
No discipline means the Islanders will not be missing Lee from their lineup for the stretch run and what they’re hoping is one final push toward the playoffs. New York has lost seven of its last eight games and is four points out of a Wild Card spot.
“We need everyone, don’t we?” head coach Patrick Roy said. “It’s important that Anders is there. I never had any doubt in my mind that he would be suspended.”
