NY Islanders Acquire Al Montoya from Coyotes for Draft Pick

The New York Islanders announced on Wednesday night that they have acquired goaltender Al Montoya from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft. The Islanders were in need of a goalie after rookie Kevin Poulin suffered a season-ending knee injury in the warm-up for Tuesday's game against Toronto. The Islanders are also currently without Rick DiPietro, who suffered face and knee injuries after fighting Pittsburgh's Brent Johnson last week, Nathan Lawson, who also has a knee injury, and Evgeni Nabokov, who has refused to report to the team since being claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on January 22. In 21 games this season with San Antonio of the AHL, Montoya has posted an 11-8-0 record, with a 3.19 GAA and a .891 save percentage. He will report to the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. This should be a good opportunity for Montoya, as he has spent much of his career in the AHL and should bring plenty of experience in net for the Islanders. He could emerge as a reliable backup for the team as the rest of the season plays out.