WASHINGTON – Valtteri Filppula was expected to miss four weeks with a hyperextended left elbow. Instead, he returned to the Islanders’ lineup in less than three weeks and will be available for the start of the playoffs.
The third-line center expects to play in Saturday night’s regular-season finale against the Capitals at Capital One Arena after exiting in the first period of a 5-0 loss to the Bruins at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on March 19. He missed eight games.
“I’m definitely happy it didn’t take as long as we thought,” Filppula said. “It’s nice to get one game in and get back to playing again.