Anders Lee scores twice as Islanders beat Ducks 5-2

NEW YORK (AP) — Anders Lee scored twice and had two assists, and David Rittich made 31 saves as the New York Islanders beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Thursday night.

Simon Holmstrom had a goal and two assists and defensemen Travis Mitchell and Ryan Pulock each scored as the Islanders won for the fifth time in six games.

Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry scored for Anaheim, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Islanders leading scorer Bo Horvat left about seven minutes into the second with a lower-body injury after he became tangled with Anaheim defenseman Drew Helleson.

The Islanders took a 3-0 lead in the opening period, starting with Mitchell’s first NHL goal. The 26-year-old was playing his seventh game following his recall from Bridgeport of the AHL.

Lee made it 2-0, beating Ducks netminder Ville Husso on the power play. The Islanders captain scored again with the man advantage late in the first, his eighth goal. Lee has 297 career goals, fifth-most in franchise history.

Carlsson rifled a shot past Rittich in the second for his team-leading 17th goal.

Terry made it 3-2 with a short-handed goal early in the third. The Islanders pulled away when Holmstron scored his sixth and Pulock added his first.

The Islanders are 14-6-2 in their last 22 games and continued strong play against top-tier competition since losing to Washington on Nov. 30. New York has since defeated Tampa Bay twice, plus Colorado and Vegas.

Rittich improved to 7-3-1 with a sharp performance against the improved Ducks, who have 19 wins in 31 games.

Husso made 32 saves.

Ducks: At New Jersey on Saturday.

Islanders: Host Tampa Bay on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

New York Islanders center Calum Ritchie (64) looks to pass during the second period of an NHL hockey game against Anaheim Ducks, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso (33) protect the net from New York Islanders left wing Anthony Duclair (11) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso (33) protests the net from New York Islanders left wing Anthony Duclair (11) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) fights for control of the puck with New York Islanders center Marc Gatcomb (16) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against Anaheim Ducks, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the agreement, first reported by The Athletic, was subject to a successful physical.

Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.

He had nine RBIs for Cleveland in the 2024 AL Division Series against Detroit but hit .160 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 125 at-bats over 39 games this year in an injury-decimated season with Cleveland. He batted .268 for Washington in 2023, when he set career bests with 28 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

Thomas didn't play between April 8 and 15 this year because of a bone bruise in his right wrist sustained when hit by a pitch from Shane Smith of the Chicago White Sox and between April 19 and May 22 because of the same injury. He was out between May 26 and June 9 due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

He played his last big league game of the season on July 4, then was sidelined again because of the foot injury, though he did appear in three Double-A games from Sept. 2-5 as part of an injury rehabilitation assignment. He has surgery on Sept. 23,

A year earlier, he hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on an AL Wild Card Series.

Thomas had a $7,825,000 salary in a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He became a free agent last month.

Now 30, Thomas has a .242 average with 65 homers and 254 RBIs in seven seasons with St. Louis (2019-21), Washington (2021-24) and the Guardians, who acquired him from the Nationals ahead of the 2024 trade deadline for infielder José Tena, left-hander Alex Clemmey and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

FILE - Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas (8) celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, July 2, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)