Rick Dipietro News: Pro Sports Daily

Islanders stranded indefinitely without DiPietro

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March 2

New York Post

"Want to sum up the last few years for Rick DiPietro and the Islanders? The goalie entered the NHL's two-week Olympic break with his surgically repaired knee in good shape and not having missed a practice due to injury since returning on Jan. 6. And now, on the eve of the team's return to the ice tonight against Chicago at the Coliseum, he's out indefinitely with swelling in the knee. Still, the 28-year-old was not terribly discouraged by the news, saying tests showed yesterday that everything is fine structurally with the knee. "It's precautionary," DiPietro said after returning to the team's practice facility after practice, where he worked out. "After seven or eight days off, to kick it ..."

Islanders' DiPietro cheers on Team USA

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February 25

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro took off his skates after the Islanders practiced yesterday and watched Ryan Miller put in yet another stellar Olympic performance. With Team USA's 2-0 victory over Switzerland, the Americans are just one win away from Sunday's gold-medal game. It's a far cry from how DiPietro and his teammates did four years ago in Italy, when they went 1-4-1 under Peter Laviolette. "Obviously, I'd rather be watching from Vancouver, but I hope they win . . . and continue to play well," said DiPietro, who spoke during the match's first period. "It's tough. This is something I was looking forward to from the time I got off the plane from Torino, so you watch and wish you were there playing in ..."

Rick DiPietro hopes to be back in net for Team USA in next Olympics

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February 25

New York Daily News

"Rick DiPietro acknowledges that Ryan Miller has been "phenomenal" in helping the U.S. hockey team advance to the Olympic semifinals in Vancouver. But the oft-injured Islanders goalie still holds out hope of again competing for his old No. 1 job in the American net in the future. As Miller was in the process of shutting out Switzerland on the television set along the back wall of the dressing room Wednesday, DiPietro was peeling off his equipment after the Isles reconvened for practice at the Coliseum to prepare for the remainder of the regular season. "It's tough. It's something I was looking forward to from the time I got off the plane from Torino," DiPietro said of sitting out the ..."

DiPietro learning to share

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January 23

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro was an All-Star in 2008 and remains the Islanders' franchise goaltender, but he also recognizes the fact that it will take time before he is treated like that again. That might makelife a bit easier for coach Scott Gordon, as he goes through the process of figuring out how to keep two goalies who are accustomed to being No. 1 netminders sharp and content. The notion of DiPietro competing for ice time is somewhat new to the former Olympian and top overall draft pick, but now is a reality as he comes back from knee surgery that kept him out for a year. "There's different circumstances now," DiPietro said after practice yesterday at the Coliseum, where the surging Isles will ..."

DiPietro loses the rust and shuts out Devils

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January 19

New York Post

"The Jets aren't the only team around here pulling off improbable wins. Less than a week after dismantling the Red Wings, the Islanders made easy work of Martin Brodeur and the Devils, beating the Atlantic Division leaders 4-0 yesterday at Nassau Coliseum. It was their fourth straight win and fifth in a row at home. And goalie Rick DiPietro continued his own renaissance, notching his first shutout in nearly two years. "It feels great," said DiPietro, whose previous shutout was on Feb. 21, 2008, against Tampa Bay. DiPietro, in the third game of his comeback after being sidelined for nearly a year following knee surgeries, played consecutive games for the first time since his return, after ..."

Injury-ridden DiPietro finally starts at home

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January 17

Buffalo News

"An old face was back on the ice Saturday in the Nassau Coliseum as New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro started against the Buffalo Sabres in his first game at home since Dec. 26, 2008. DiPietro, who signed a 15-year, $70-million contract in 2006 that was openly reviled throughout the NHL, has gone through hip and knee injuries and had a pair of surgeries on the knee in the last two years. He played just five games last year and only one this year, a 4-3 loss Jan. 8 at Dallas. "Health is a main goal here but I don't want that to overshadow the fact I have to play well and have results," DiPietro said. "When you're back in the NHL, all that matters is wins. That's what's really ..."

DiPietro prevails in Coliseum return

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January 17

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro had not won a game at Nassau Coliseum -- or anywhere else -- since Dec. 26, 2008, so it probably shouldn't have been a surprise that it took three periods, overtime and eight rounds of a shootout for him to get one last night. DiPietro stopped Patrick Kaleta to secure a 3-2 win in the second game of his comeback from the knee surgeries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. "I can't tell you how good this feels," DiPietro said after the Isles won the shootout 4-3, the decisive goal coming from Trent Hunter. "It's satisfying, but there's still a lot of work to be done. You can't get complacent." "It's a huge weight off his shoulders," Isles coach Scott Gordon ..."

Rick DiPietro makes 32 saves in, 3-2, shootout win over Buffalo Sabres

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January 17

New York Daily News

"After missing over a year of NHL action because of knee and hip problems, Rick DiPietro has been anxious about getting his career back on track - so much so that he fought back tears on the ice Saturday night. In his return to Nassau Coliseum - and his second start of the season - the Islanders' franchise goalie turned away 31 shots through overtime, then stopped five of eight attempts in the shootout in a 3-2 win over the Northeast Division-leading Sabres. "I was trying not to cry on the ice," DiPietro said. "That's the one thing I told myself. I wouldn't cry. It's an emotional time for me. It's been a long time coming and it's been a rough road. Just to get the win was amazing." DiPietro ..."

DiPietro up for Nassau return

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January 16

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro has played just one game since rejoining the Islanders on their West Coast trip last week, and he has a chance to make his first appearance at the Nassau Coliseum tonight against Buffalo (7:00, MSG Plus, WMJC 94.3 FM). Because coach Scott Gordon's policy always has been not to reveal who his starting goalie will be before the day of the game, it will not be known until today's morning skate. But the Islanders' schedule is set to pick up again, with five games in the next eight days, so DiPietro soon figures to get plenty of work. After losing his first game last Friday against Dallas, DiPietro has backed up Dwayne Roloson the past two matches -- including Tuesday night's 6-0 ..."

Shares of DiPietro, Roloson on rise

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January 12

New York Post

"To the surprise of no one, Islanders coach Scott Gordon said yesterday that Dwayne Roloson and Rick DiPietro would split time in net "for the short term, anyway." That leaves goalie Martin Biron on the outside looking in and likely as trade bait. General manager Garth Snow said he is not concerned that Biron's potential lack of playing time might have an adverse impact on his trade value. "There's no rush from my standpoint," Snow said yesterday. "Marty's body of work speaks for itself. People know what he's capable of." Snow said that he was pleased with what he saw from DiPietro, who played his first game over a year in Friday night's 4-3 loss to Dallas. "I thought it was a big step in ..."

Stars outscore Islanders 4-3 to spoil DiPietro's return

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January 9

NHL.com

"The Dallas Stars and New York Islanders coach Scott Gordon both were happy with goaltender Rick DiPietro's return to the NHL on Friday night -- for vastly different reasons. Gordon was pleased with the performance of DiPietro, who hadn't played an NHL game since Jan. 2, 2009, due to knee injuries that required surgery and a lengthy rehab process. The Stars were happy after their three-goal second period and some goaltending heroics in the final minutes by a previously shaky Marty Turco enabled them to go home with a 4-3 victory. "I thought it was a great first game for him," Gordon said after DiPietro stopped 24 of 28 shots. "Considering where he's come from, he made some big saves when we ..."

DiPietro's return could be tonight

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January 8

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro could make his long-awaited return to the Islanders' lineup as soon as tonight. Although the Islanders have yet to announce any definite plans for when the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft is supposed to make his season debut, it is expected to happen either tonight in Dallas (8:30; MSG+, WMJC) or tomorrow in Phoenix."

Islanders call up DiPietro

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January 5

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro's return to the Islanders finally may not be far away. The goalie was recalled by the team yesterday and will make the upcoming road trip, which starts tomorrow in Colorado. The team has yet to determine when -- or if -- DiPietro will play on the three-game trip. He skated during practice yesterday and continues to feel good."

Islanders' DiPietro works out, hopes to play rehab game this weekend

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December 29

New York Post

"The ongoing rehab of Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro continued today, as he worked out at the team's practice facility in Syosset in hopes of playing a game for Bridgeport in the AHL this weekend. "Right now, we'd like to see him play a full game," GM Garth Snow said. DiPietro hasn't suited up since he was pulled after two periods on Dec. 11 in his second rehab start with the Sound Tigers after experiencing tightness in his leg that the team said was unrelated to his knee injury. back."

Stopgap in the Isles' Goal Does More Than Fill It

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December 25

New York Times

"Three goaltenders shared the ice for the Islanders' practice Tuesday, and the one wearing the white pads scuffed with puck rubber has a 15-year contract. That would be Rick DiPietro, who may be close to coming back from yet another injury, this one to his right knee. DiPietro, 28, who has missed all but five games in the last two seasons, has resumed practicing, but he said he was not certain when he could return to action after encountering leg stiffness during a recent conditioning start with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League. So the Islanders have moved into a critical stretch with Dwayne Roloson, who does not have a 15-year deal, in goal."

Aching Islanders wait on Weight, DiPietro

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December 24

New York Post

"The Islanders are a team increasingly reliant on young players, but eyes were on a pair of veterans yesterday, as center Doug Weight and goalie Rick DiPietro both practiced. Weight is trying to salvage the second half of a disappointing season, and DiPietro would simply like to play on Long Island sooner rather than later, especially as the Isles slide down the Eastern Conference standings. "That's certainly why I was out here," Weight said after practice, referring to the team's three straight losses and four in a row at home. Weight did not score a goal in the 11 games he played before being sidelined with a shoulder injury on Nov. 6. "I'm sick of wasting time," Weight said. "We're not ..."

Aching Islanders wait on Weight, DiPietro

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December 23

New York Post

"The Islanders are a team increasingly reliant on young players, but eyes were on a pair of veterans yesterday, as center Doug Weight and goalie Rick DiPietro both practiced. Weight is trying to salvage the second half of a disappointing season, and DiPietro would simply like to play on Long Island sooner rather than later, especially as the Isles slide down the Eastern Conference standings. "That's certainly why I was out here," Weight said after practice, referring to the team's three straight losses and four in a row at home. Weight did not score a goal in the 11 games he played before being sidelined with a shoulder injury on Nov. 6. "I'm sick of wasting time," Weight said. "We're not ..."

Oft-injured Islanders' DiPietro to resume practice

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December 22

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro got back on the ice yesterday for the first time since leaving a rehab start 10 days earlier because of leg tightness. And while he said he felt "great" after working out for 45 minutes before the Islanders' morning skate, he admitted that the discomfort that caused the concern was something that had bothered him for "a while." "It was an issue that needed to be addressed," said DiPietro, who last played on Dec. 11. "I saw some specialists and kind of figured some things out and I think solved the problem." The Isles still have plenty of other problems, now that they have dropped three straight -- and four in a row at the Coliseum -- after last night's 4-2 loss to the ..."

Injury-prone DiPietro set to practice again

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December 20

New York Post

"It still is unknown when Rick DiPietro will play his next game for the Islanders, but the goalie will at least get back on the ice with the team this week. DiPietro, whose latest attempt at a comeback from left knee surgery stalled last Friday when he was removed from a game with leg stiffness while playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, is set to return to practice with the Isles. "Rick has followed the protocol for his rehabilitation diligently," general manager Garth Snow said in a statement yesterday. "He experienced tightness and discomfort in his leg during the Bridgeport game [in Springfield], and we felt it was in his best interest to sit out the rest of the game."

Injury-prone DiPietro set to practice again

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December 19

New York Post

"It still is unknown when Rick DiPietro will play his next game for the Islanders, but the goalie will at least get back on the ice with the team this week. DiPietro, whose latest attempt at a comeback from left knee surgery stalled last Friday when he was removed from a game with leg stiffness while playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, is set to return to practice with the Isles. "Rick has followed the protocol for his rehabilitation diligently," general manager Garth Snow said in a statement yesterday. "He experienced tightness and discomfort in his leg during the Bridgeport game [in Springfield], and we felt it was in his best interest to sit out the rest of the game. "He will ..."

DiPietro will miss Tuesday's rehab start

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December 15

Newsday

"Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro will miss tonight's start in Bridgeport - which was supposed to be the third and final game of his rehab assignment - because of a potential setback he experienced in Friday's game."

DiPietro allows 3 goals in rehab assignment, no pain

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December 7

New York Post

"Allowing three goals in his first nine shots wasn't pretty, but Rick DiPietro did appear to make it through his first game in nearly a year without getting hurt. "It was good to get back out there and shake the rust off," said DiPietro, who had not appeared in a game since Jan. 2 before playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate last night. "I hadn't been out there in a long time. There's still a lot of work to be done." More importantly, he reported no problems with his surgically-repaired knee and added that how he felt today would be "big." DiPietro wound up playing two full periods, as expected. The 28-year-old faced 13 shots in a 7-3 win over Springfield in front of Islanders owner ..."

Big step for DiPietro tonight

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December 5

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro has made it through months of practice and drills without getting hurt. Tonight, he and the Islanders will see how his body holds up during a game. It's been nearly a year since the team's injury-prone franchise goalie has suited up. Last January, swelling in his surgically repaired knee forced him from the lineup again. "This is really big for him," said GM Garth Snow, who will be in Bridgeport tonight to see the Isles' AHL affiliate Sound Tigers host Springfield with DiPietro in net for the first time since Jan. 2. "It's certainly been a long road to recovery for him." That's an understatement. And it's why, even with the team coming off one of its best victories of this ..."

Islanders' DiPietro to play in minor-league game Saturday

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December 3

New York Post

"Rick DiPietro has had some disappointing comeback attempts, so it's no surprise he wants to downplay his likely return to game action on Saturday, when he is scheduled to play for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. "It's a game," DiPietro said yesterday. "It's a big step and we'll see how it goes, but a game is a game." The fragile DiPietro hasn't played in a game since Jan. 2, and he appeared in just five last season because of knee injuries. He is expected to play only a period or two on Saturday against Springfield. "I probably haven't gone this long [between games], but I've been on the ice for the past two months," DiPietro said. "I hope I'm not rusty, but we'll see.""

Islanders' rehabbing goalie answers critics

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November 14

New York Post

"With the Islanders in Carolina, preparing to play yet another game without their franchise goalie tonight, Rick DiPietro was working out at Iceworks in Syosset yesterday, still likely at least a month away from his return to an NHL game. The 28-year-old is acutely aware that he has become known more for his propensity for getting injured than the fact that he's a former All-Star. "I have to keep telling myself that I have a lot of years left and not to push too much and put myself in jeopardy," said DiPietro, who is in the fourth year of his 15-year deal and is still recovering from knee surgery after being limited to five games last season. "The one thing that frustrates me is when people ..."

Islanders' rehabbing Rick answers critics

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November 13

New York Post

"With the Islanders in Carolina, preparing to play yet another game without their franchise goalie tonight, Rick DiPietro was working out at Iceworks in Syosset yesterday, still likely at least a month away from his return to an NHL game. The 28-year-old is acutely aware that he has become known more for his propensity for getting injured than the fact that he's a former All-Star. "I have to keep telling myself that I have a lot of years left and not to push too much and put myself in jeopardy," said DiPietro, who is in the fourth year of his 15-year deal and is still recovering from knee surgery after being limited to five games last season. "The one thing that frustrates me is when people ..."

Islanders' Rick DiPietro tempers his optimism

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September 16

Boston Herald

"Rick DiPietro, who made a substantial leap in his rehab when he began facing shots earlier this week, has been encouraged by his progress during Islanders training camp. However, given the false starts DiPietro experienced last season, when he played only five games before spending the rest of the season on injured reserve, DiPietro wants to temper his optimism with caution. "I felt good," DiPietro said after a 30-minute workout on Tuesday with Islanders goaltending consultant Sudarshan Maharaj. "It felt like I was seeing the puck well out there. I don't want to get too excited, though. It's all about how I feel. It's important when you put stress on that injury to see how it responds." ..."