Islanders' Alexander Romanov levels Miles Wood, fights Michael McLeod
Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov celebrates with Alexander Romanov (28) after the team's 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils in an NHL hockey game Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, in Newark, N.J. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger
NEWARK — Miles Wood was skating through the offensive zone with his head down when Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov leveled him with a check to the chest.
A shaken Wood left the Islanders’ 6-4 win over the Devils at 12:05 of the second period as teammate Michael McLeod confronted Romanov, who has a reputation for thunderous hits.
“I can’t just let him skate through the four guys and score,” Romanov said. “I never chase some guys. Never tried to destroy somebody. Just a clean hit. Solid.”
McLeod was given a two-minute instigator penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. Romanov said he was not surprised that McLeod fought him. “No, no, because after every hit, somebody tries to drop the gloves,” he said.
“I thought it was a great hit,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “Clean hit. It got our bench going for sure.”
Beauvillier hurting
Anthony Beauvillier went hard into the boards behind the Devils’ crease at 9:09 of the first period after trying to convert a feed from Anders Lee. Beauvillier skated slowly to the Islanders’ bench favoring his left shoulder and later took one more shift before exiting the game. He logged just 3:53. Lambert did not provide an update on him after the game.
Isles files
Cal Clutterbuck logged 13:20 with four hits and a goal after missing three games with an upper-body injury . . . Neither Adam Pelech (suspected head injury) nor Kyle Palmieri (injured reserve/upper body) made the trip to New Jersey . . . Scott Mayfield was on ice for 25:05, a season high for the Islanders . . . Robin Salo logged 7:25 in his first game since Oct. 20 . . . The Islanders wore their home blue uniforms and the Devils wore their white Reverse Retro jerseys. The Islanders will debut their Fisherman Reverse Retro jerseys against the Hurricanes on Saturday night at UBS Arena.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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