Islanders' Barzal sidelined indefinitely with lower-body injury

New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, the team announced Monday.

Barzal blocked a shot in the late stages of the Islanders' 3-2 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and didn't play in New York's 6-3 loss to the Florida Panthers the next day.

The 27-year-old has recorded six goals and 20 points in 30 outings this campaign. He missed 21 games earlier in the campaign due to an upper-body ailment.

Barzal led the Islanders with 80 points last season. It was the first time he hit the milestone since his rookie campaign in 2017-18.

New York drafted Barzal with the 16th overall pick in 2015. He paces the Islanders with 328 assists and 462 points in 528 games dating back to his first full season.

Sunday's defeat snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Islanders. The stretch launched them into the wild-card fight with a 24-21-7 record, and they entered Monday's action just four points back of a playoff spot with one game in hand over the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings.

New York will take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. There are three games remaining on the Islanders' schedule before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.