Islanders forward Heineman faces suspension after game ejection

Emil Heineman is likely facing a suspension after being ejected from a New York Islanders game on Saturday.

The forward took a knee-on-knee hit to Isaac Howard of the Edmonton Oilers at 2:22 into the period. The call stood, and Heineman left UBS Arena for the rest of the 4-0 defeat.

Coach Pete DeBoer said he was surprised the penalty was graded as a major. "I was surprised it was upheld as a major, yeah," DeBoer said. "But again, I haven't looked at it that closely." Heineman did not speak to reporters in the locker room, a standard practice for players who are ejected.

Teammates expressed hope for Howard's recovery. Jean-Gabriel Pageau noted that the hit lacked intention. "Obviously we hope the other guy’s all right," Pageau said. "I know there’s no intention behind that. Heiny’s someone that plays hard and he’s always clean." Oilers coach Mike Babcock called the injury favorable. "We don't think, Howard, it’s as serious as it looked," Babcock said.

The Islanders face a roster crunch if a suspension is confirmed. The team lost Ryan Pulock to an upper body injury on Thursday and carried only 12 healthy forwards into Saturday's game. The club does not have an immediate replacement ready in the AHL, where prospects Quinn Finley, Cole Eiserman, and Daniil Prokhorov are not considered ready for a call-up.

Pulock saw doctors on Saturday to evaluate his injury. Other Islanders players remain on the injury list, including Matias Maccelli, Calum Ritchie, and Mathew Barzal, with no specific return dates set.

The suspension decision will determine if Heineman misses the team's next game against Carolina on Thursday.