DiPietro On IR, Mottau Out For Season, Martin Suspended

So today it was tweeted by the Islanders official Twitter account that Rick DiPietro was placed on the IR due to knee swelling. At first I thought to myself "he's done" but Dee Karl pointed out in a blog that in order for the Isles to call someone up from Bridgeport, someone has to be placed on the IR due to the roster freeze and I guess the odd man out was DiPietro.

In the same tweet, the NY Islanders Twitter account also reported that defenseman Mike Mottau - who was just recently cleared to play after a puck to the eye - will be out for the remainder of the season due to a right hip labrum tear. Myself and many others don't understand how an eye injury goes from a hip injury, but it's another loss for the Islanders.

Fourth liner Matt Martin was suspended yesterday by the league after delivering a hit to Vernon Fiddler, which was called a charging penalty by the refs.

Tomorrow night the Islanders will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. The puck drops at 7pm and the Islanders desperately need a win. It will be interesting to see who starts in goal. The last game played against the Lightning, the Islanders won in OT from a goal from Matt Moulson after Smith was battling with the puck with his glove. The refs took some time to review before it was called a goal.