Islanders D Martinek out four weeks with foot injury

Dec 30, 2006 - 6:31 PM UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - The New York Islanders have lost their warrior.

The Islanders announced Saturday that defenseman Radek Martinek will be sidelined four weeks with a broken bone in his foot.

Arguably the Islanders' best blue-liner this season, Martinek has registered two goals, 13 points and a plus-15 rating in 36 games.

Martinek suffered the injury during Tuesday night's 2-0 victory over the Rangers. He played in Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Ottawa.

"Radek has been a warrior for us, maybe our most consistent defenseman," Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "It says a lot about him that he continued to play during the Rangers game and the whole next game the next night in Ottawa because he didn't want to take himself out of the lineup. But this is the right thing for him."

The Islanders on Saturday also recalled defenseman Allan Rourke on an emergency basis from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. He recorded one assist in six games with the Islanders last season.