Isles G DiPietro out 4-6 weeks after surgery

Nov 1, 2008 - 11:24 PM UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Islanders will have to overcome their early struggles without their top goaltender.

Winners of just two of their first nine games this season, the Islanders on Saturday announced Rick DiPietro will be sidelined four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus in his knee.

Drafted first overall in 2000, DiPietro - who is on injured reserve - has appeared in just three games thus far this season, going 0-2-0 with a 3.91 goals-against average. The 27-year-old missed the first four contests while recovering from offseason knee and hip procedures and left New York's 4-3 loss to Carolina on October 25 with his current injury.

In DiPietro's absence, Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis will tend the net for the Islanders, who entered Saturday's home contest against the Montreal Canadiens with a 2-6-1 record and a five-game losing streak.

An All-Star last season, the native of Winthrop, Massachusetts owns a career record of 116-111-29 with 14 shutouts, a 2.79 GAA and a .905 save percentage in 271 career games.