Isles goalie Rick DiPietro plays for 1st time in nearly a year, making AHL rehab appearance

Islanders goalie DiPietro makes rehab start in AHL

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro is back in action for the first time in nearly a year.

The oft-injured DiPietro began a two-week conditioning assignment with Bridgeport of the AHL on Saturday night and allowed three goals on 13 shots against Springfield.

With Islanders owner Charles Wang and general manager Garth Snow watching the team’s franchise goalie from a suite, DiPietro played two periods for the Sound Tigers. He faced 10 shots in the second period.

In the past two years, the 28-year-old DiPietro had surgery on both hips and both knees. He last played an NHL game on Jan. 2 and made only five appearances with the Islanders last season.

DiPietro is in the fourth season of a landmark 15-year contract with New York.

His final stop Saturday was his best, a quick-reaction glove save on Vladimir Trukhno from the slot. As is his style, DiPietro left the crease often to play the puck. One early giveaway led to one of the Falcons’ three shots in the first period, hardly a test for DiPietro.

The fourth shot was Johan Motin’s slapper from above the right circle. The drive went between DiPietro’s legs 1:52 into the second.

Geoff Paukovich scored on a backhander over DiPietro’s blocker from the goalie’s left off a blocked shot. Bill Thomas stuffed in a pass at the left post 6 minutes later.

DiPietro is expected to make two more starts in the AHL by Dec. 15 before returning to the Islanders. New York has been using a veteran goalie tandem of Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron this season while waiting for DiPietro to recover.