- Islanders forward Emil Heineman was ejected for kneeing Oilers winger Isaac Howard
- Howard left with a lower-body injury and will not return to Saturday’s game
- Read below for the video of the hit and what the league could do next
Islanders forward Emil Heineman was ejected Saturday for a knee-on-knee hit that sent Oilers winger Isaac Howard down the tunnel.
The hit came just over two minutes into the game at UBS Arena. Heineman’s outstretched left knee caught Howard’s, and officials called a five-minute major for kneeing plus a game misconduct after reviewing it on video.
Watch the hit and the penalty call:
Howard stayed down in pain, then needed help getting to the bench and did not put any weight on his left leg as he went to the room.
See how he left the ice:
The Oilers ruled Howard out for the rest of the game with a lower-body injury. No timeline has been announced.
Heineman threw his stick on the way off. Edmonton’s power play came up empty, with Ilya Sorokin making three saves as New York killed the full major.
Howard has one goal and two assists in 12 games this season and 41 games into his NHL career. Heineman has two goals and four assists in 13 games for the Islanders.
Whether the Department of Player Safety steps in is the next question. The league gave Hayden Hodgson two games for a boarding hit on Brandt Clarke earlier this week.
Edmonton can hardly afford another body on the injury list. Zach Hyman landed on IR with a neck injury just days ago, and now Howard is out too.
