Lightning lose Stralman indefinitely to fractured fibula

It was a very costly win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over the New York Islanders on Friday night.

Defenseman Anton Stralman suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left fibula, the club announced. He's out indefinitely.

Stralman was hurt battling for position in front of the Lightning net with Anders Lee in the first period, going down awkwardly, his left leg bending back in a way it shouldn't.

"That's the last thing I want to see," Lee said after the game, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. "We were battling in front, next think I know he's down. You hate to see that."

Stralman's an underrated part of the Lightning's defense corps. He played 22:31 a game in last year's playoffs, as Tampa Bay marched to the Stanley Cup Final, eventually losing to the Chicago Blackhawks.

"Anton's season is not over," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said after the game, according to The Tampa Tribune's Erik Erlendsson. Stralman won't be back before the playoffs, but Cooper's planning on his team once again playing in June, and for Stralman to eventually return during the postseason.

"He's an extremely important part of our team and has been since the day he got here," Cooper added. "Nobody is going to replace him. He's a top defenseman in this league."

A solid possession player, Stralman entered the 7-4 win over the Islanders with nine goals and 25 assists this season, having missed just one game. He played only 3:34 on Friday.