Just in time for a seven-game road trip, Kyle Okposo became the second Islander to come down with swine flu.
Okposo, perhaps the team’s top all-around player, was diagnosed yesterday and figures to miss most of the trip. Doug Weight was out for three games last month with the same illness, which has hit several teams around the league.
To make matters worse for the Isles, who begin their trip tonight against the Capitals and are trying to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference, they also learned yesterday that Weight, who they previously thought would be out 7-10 days with an upper-body injury, will be gone for 4-6 weeks.
The absence of both forwards likely means more ice time for Blake Comeau, who took Weight’s lineup spot in Saturday’s win over Atlanta and scored his first goal of the season, and Rob Schremp.
That could change if Trent Hunter, who has missed a month with a pectoral muscle tear and practiced again yesterday, is ready tonight.
Coach Scott Gordon said that Hunter’s availability wouldn’t be known until today.
The news isn’t all bad for the Isles, who continue to see progress from sidelined goalie Rick DiPietro. He practiced for the second straight day yesterday, and Gordon liked what he saw from the goalie, who is coming back from a knee injury.
“He was good,” Gordon said. “I sat and watched him and he did multiple butterflies, more rapid recovery.”
More important, it was the first time the goalie worked back-to-back days. He is scheduled to be on the ice tomorrow and then work consecutive days twice next week.
The Capitals also are dealing with health problems. They will be without Alex Ovechkin tonight. Ovechkin is recovering from a strain near his left shoulder.
“I’m not gonna complain,” Gordon said. “But you can’t take them any lighter.”
The Isles are 1-4-3 away from the Coliseum and 5-2-2 at home.
“We’re not using the road as an excuse to not play well,” Gordon said.