PITTSBURGH -- New York Islanders center Mat Barzal is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, the team announced, a devastating blow to its playoff pursuit.
He was injured on a hit from Boston’s Craig Smith early in a 6-2 loss at the Bruins. Barzal appeared to take a knee-on-knee hit and left the ice immediately.
Barzal, 25, is second on the team with 51 points. The Islanders hold the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with less than two months to go in the NHL regular season.