Islanders ICYMI: Anders Lee massive but textbook hit on McAvoy

If you remember anything from last night’s win, it’s probably going to be one of the seven goals that the New York Islanders scored against the Boston Bruins. Most of them were memorable for some reason or another.

Mathew Bazal scoring a beauty goal off the rush. Anthony Beauvillier putting up his first of the year with some tenacious play in the Bruins end. Oliver Wahlstrom scoring his first ‘true’ NHL goal. And that’s just scratching the surface of the Isles goal scoring last night.

But one of the plays that will stick in my mind is Anders Lee‘s huge hit on Long Island native Charlie McAvoy in the second period.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee’s devastating but textbook body check

If you missed the play, here’s a nice GiF from Twitter. Watch how McAvoy has his head down while he carries the puck behind the net and doesn’t notice Anders Lee squaring him up until the last possible moment. Now watch how Lee slows down a bit, keeps his skates on the ice, and hits him square through the chest. Textbook.

That hit could have been a lot worse than it turned out to be. Lee could have exploded through McAvoy and send him back into a year before the COVID pandemic. But Lee recognized the position he and McAvoy were in. Lee had a job to separate the carrier from the puck not to injure McAvoy.

He accomplished both on this hit. McAvoy was shaken up, but he was out there for his next shift just a few minutes later.

Meanwhile, Tom Wilson is out there doing Tom Wilson things after this late hit on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Mark Jankowski.

In today’s NHL where questionable hits are being delivered constantly it’s nice to see a player still being able to deliver a big hit and doing so legally.