Calling him a steal would be an understatement. Drafted 152nd overall by the
New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Anders Lee has turned out to be
 one of the best goal scorers in the National Hockey League. Having played
parts of five seasons in the NHL, here are the top 10 moments of Lee's career
so far.Anders Lee (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)10. Lee's First-Line Debut
(Feb. 3, 2015)

Feb. 3 was the start of something special. Dealing with the loss of Kyle Okposo
 due to an eye injury, the Islanders were desperately searching for a
first-line trio that could produce. They decided that for this game against the
 Florida Panthers at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, they would try Lee, a
rookie at the time, on the first line with John Tavares and Josh Bailey.

That choice paid off just 1:46 in, as Lee finished off a tic-tac-toe play with
Tavares and Bailey to open the scoring. Lee also scored later in the second
period, tipping home a Travis Hamonic shot to tie the game at 2-2, but his two
goals would be the only two for New York in an eventual 4-2 loss. However, the
game foreshadowed the wonderful chemistry that the Lee, Tavares, and Bailey
would develop for years to come.9. Lee Scores Go-Ahead Goal Against Penguins
(Mar. 8, 2016)

Nearly a month away from the playoffs, the Islanders hosted the Pittsburgh
Penguins in an important divisional matchup. With the game tied at 1-1 and with
 the Islanders on the power play, Lee was battling for position in front of the
 Penguin goal with defenseman Kris Letang. While that was happening, Frans
Nielsen got the puck to point setting up a shot from Nick Leddy that deflected
off Lee and in just as he knocked Letang down to the ice, giving the Islanders
a 2-1 lead.

The goal came with just over 11 minutes to go in the third period and would
prove to be the go-ahead goal, giving the Islanders a huge two points in a 2-1
win while handing the eventual Stanley Cup Champions a regulation loss.8. Lee
Scores Back-to-Back GWGs (Dec. 19, Dec. 20, 2014)

In late December, the Islanders were faced with back-to-back games on their
schedule and both ended with the same man as the hero: Anders Lee. On Dec. 19
in Detroit, Lee crashed the crease, located a loose puck that Petr Mrazek
thought he had covered, and jammed it home to give the Isles a 2-1 lead with
just over 9:15 to go in the second period. That goal held out to be the winner
as the Islanders defeated the Red Wings and then headed back to Long Island for
 a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning the following day.

Despite playing a close game in Detroit the night prior, the Islanders came out
 flying. They were the better team from the second the puck dropped but they
couldn't solve rookie goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was having the game of
 his life. And with 10:44 to go in the third period, Vasilevskiy's heroics
looked to have paid off his team when his team opened the scoring off a
deflection from Brett Connolly.

The Islanders stayed with it but no matter what they did, they couldn't beat
Vasilevskiy. Finally, with 3:09 to go, John Tavares found a way. From the
hash-marks and while falling, Tavares looked to the sky as if he was thanking
the Hockey Gods as the Islanders tied it up at 1-1.

Twelve seconds later, Travis Hamonic wristed one towards the net and Lee got a
piece of it, deflecting it past Vasilevskiy to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
Nikolay Kulemin put home the empty-netter with 1:11 to go, and the Isles were
rewarded with a 3-1 win.7. Lee Forces Overtime in Dallas (Mar. 3, 2015)

Down 2-1 in Dallas, the Islanders frantically searched for a way to tie it but
their last hope came on a rush from Ryan Strome with just over 11 seconds to
go. In his own zone, Strome picked up a puck that the Stars had attempted to
put into the empty net and carried it up ice and into the Dallas zone. Once
crossing the blue line he found Hamonic who's shot to the net was blocked and
so the puck bounced over to Lee along the boards.(Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)

In a desperate, last-second attempt, Lee threw the puck towards the net and it
wound up deflecting off one of Jordie Benn's skates and in the net with 1.1
seconds on the clock. The game went to overtime and Cody Eakin delivered the
winner for the Stars off a 2-on-1 with Jamie Benn but getting a point was huge
for the Islanders.6. Lee Ties Game Late Against Winnipeg (Mar. 3, 2016)

It appears that Lee has a flair for the dramatics. One year after tying the
game in Dallas, Lee rose to the occasion yet again. On Mar. 3 in Winnipeg, the
Islanders found themselves knotted up at 2-2 with the Jets. But with 2:03 to go
 in regulation, Mark Scheifele put the Jets ahead. Fast forward to the final 30
 seconds of the game and the Islanders were searching for the equalizer with
their net empty.

Strome carried the puck in for the Islanders and left it from Nielsen. Nielsen
put it on a platter for Leddy who one-timed it one goal and Lee was there to
redirect it past Michael Hutchinson and to tie the game at 3-3. The game-tying
goal came with 28.3 seconds to go and forced overtime in which Kyle Okposo
would deliver the winner for the Islanders.5. Lee Sets New Career-High, Passes
Mark Parrish (Mar. 18, 2018)

On Mar. 18 against the Carolina Hurricanes, Lee scored twice but the Hurricanes
 ultimately won 4-3. Lee's first goal, coming off a rebound in front, tied the
game at 2-2 and also tied his career-high for goals in a season with goal No.
34.

Later in the game and on the power play, Lee tapped in a perfect feed from Josh
 Bailey past Scott Darling to tie the game at 3-3. The goal, his 35th of the
season, set a new career-high but also moved him up on the Islanders' all-time
scoring list as he passed Mark Parrish with career goal #119. Seconds after
scoring, Lee quite literally passed Parrish who was between the benches
providing analysis for MSG Networks and accepted a congratulatory fist-bump
from Parrish.Anders Lee (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

"I couldn';t help myself, I saw that he was the first one leading the way and I
 kind of saw him looking out of the corner of his eye with a smirk and I jumped
 in on one of the little things I missed about the game," Parrish told Cory
Wright of NewYorkIslanders.com after the game. "It was pretty cool, I was
really excited. I';ve been living vicariously through him as it is."4. Lee
Wastes No Time, Scores Early Into His NHL Debut (Apr. 2, 2013)

With his parents in attendance, Anders Lee made his NHL debut on Apr. 2, 2013,
against the Winnipeg Jets at Nassau Coliseum. With 3:47 remaining in the first
period, Lee received a pass from Matt Martin and took his first NHL shot
heading down the left wing. The shot fooled and caught a standing Ondrej
Pavelec by surprise, opening the scoring and giving Lee his first NHL goal.

The game was the first of two NHL games Lee played during the 2012-13 season
and he had an assist in the second before being returned to the Bridgeport
Sound Tigers of the AHL.3. Lee Recalled from Bridgeport, Ties Game Late Twice
(Feb. 27, 2014)

Coming back from the Olympic break, the Islanders had to come to terms with the
 fact that their captain, John Tavares, would miss the remainder of the season
with an injury suffered while playing for Team Canada. As a result, the team
recalled Mike Halmo, Lee, and Strome from Bridgeport.

With only two games of NHL experience under his belt, Lee was in the lineup for
 the team's first game back from the break, a home game against the Toronto
Maple Leafs.

With 8:24 to go in the third period of a close 2-2 game, Dion Phaneuf scored on
 a one-timer to put the Leafs ahead 3-2. One minute and 15 seconds later, on
the power play, Lee taps home an unbelievable pass from Bailey at ties it.

One minute and three seconds after Lee tied it, Joffrey Lupul restored
Toronto's lead with Lupul chipping a backhander past Evgeni Nabokov. So with
2:40 to go in regulation, it was Lee who tied it up yet again, receiving a
perfect pass from behind the goal courtesy of Strome and forcing it through the
 legs of Jonathan Bernier.

After a wild second half of the third period, the score remained 4-4 after
regulation time and in overtime, it was Lubomir Visnovsky taking advantage of a
 turnover in the Leafs' zone and slapping one past Bernier for the overtime
winner.2. Lee Secures Victory for the Islanders on NBCSN (Nov. 30, 2016)

The Islanders don't find themselves on national television often but Nov. 30
was a rare occasion as they hosted the Penguins in Brooklyn with the game being
 televised on NBCSN. After the end of two periods of play, up 3-0, the Isles
look to have had this Wednesday Night Rivalry game in the bag. However,
Pittsburgh scored three unanswered goals of their own in the third period and
managed to tie the game.

With the final seconds dwindling down, Lee saved the Islanders from being
embarrassed on national television, tipping home the go-ahead goal of a shot
from Thomas Hickey with 26.8 seconds to go. Three seconds later, Kulemin sealed
 the deal with an empty-netter and the Islanders won 5-3.1. Lee Scores Goal No.
 40 in Season Finale (Apr. 7, 2018)

To many, Anders Lee's 34-goal 2016-17 campaign was a fluke. If they could get
around 25 goals from him next season, the critics would say, they would be
satisfied. Well, headed into the final game of the regular-season Lee was
sitting on 39 goals, proving almost everyone wrong.



Through two periods, Lee was still searching for his 40th goal. Then, 6:25 into
 the third period, he got it. Lee was in his usual spot in front of the goal
where Mathew Barzal was able to get it to him. Lee, with his back to the goal,
then roofed a beautiful backhander past Jared Coreau and officially became a
40-goal scorer.

From a sixth-round pick to a 40-goal scorer...there aren't too many you can say
 that about but Anders Lee is one of them. Thirty-four goals two seasons ago,
40 last year, and Lee is turning into one of the most underrated superstars in
the league while creating some great moments along the way.

The post Top 10 Moments of Anders Lee';s Career appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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