Islanders' Halak likely out through start of playoffs

TORONTO (AP) The New York Islanders will be without starting goalie Jaroslav Halak for the next six weeks due to a lower body injury.

Halak left the Islanders' 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday night with 4:22 remaining with an apparent groin injury. New York coach Jack Capuano announced the expected length of the Halak's absence Wednesday before the team's game against the Maple Leafs.

Thomas Greiss, who finished the win over the Penguins to help Halak get his 200th career victory, will likely get the bulk of the starts the rest of the regular season and into the start of the playoffs, with No. 3 goalie Jean-Francois Berube backing him up.

The Islanders began the day third in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the second-place New York Rangers, and five points ahead of Pittsburgh, which holds the Eastern Conference's top wild-card spot.