It was a very costly win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over the New York Islanders on Friday night.
Defenseman Anton Stralman suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left fibula Friday, the club announced. He's out indefinitely.
Stralman was hurt battling for position of front of the Lightning net with Anders Lee in the first period, going down awkwardly, his left leg bending back in a way it shouldn't.
"That's the last thing I want to see," Lee said after the game, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. "We were battling in front, next think I know he's down. You hate to see that."
Stralman's an underrated part of the Lightning's defense corps. He played 22:31 a game in last year's playoffs, as Tampa Bay marched to the Stanley Cup Final, eventually losing to the Chicago Blackhawks.
"Anton's season is not over," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said after the game, according to The Tampa Tribune's Erik Erlendsson. Stralman won't be back before the playoffs, but Cooper's planning on his team once again playing in June, and for Stralman to eventually return during the postseason.
A solid possession player, Stralman entered the game versus the Islanders with nine goals and 25 assists this season, having missed only one game. He played only 3:34 on Friday, as the Lightning defeated the Islanders 7-4.
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