Rick DiPietro has endured many injuries in his career, but his latest might be the most vexing for the New York Islanders.

The Islanders announced on Friday that DiPietro, 29, will be out of the lineup from four to six weeks with facial fractures suffered when he was punched by Pittsburgh counterpart Brent Johnson in a rare all-goaltender fight earlier this week.

"It's unfortunate, frustrating, every other emotion you can throw in there," DiPietro said Friday, sporting a large purplish mouse under his right eye.

The injury came in DiPietro's 302nd game since being selected by New York with the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

The netminder, who signed a mammoth 15-year contract with the Isles in August 2006, has appeared in just 34 games since the beginning of the 2008-09 season due to an assortment of injuries, mainly knee and hip related.

He said Friday he also tweaked his knee, with the silver lining that his layoff will give him time to heal.

'You never go into a fight thinking you're going to get smashed in the face or with these kind of consequences, but it happens.'— Rick DiPietro

DiPietro has managed to play in 21 games this season, with a 3.36 goals-against average and .890 save percentage.

The fight with Johnson occurred with just seconds left in the game won by Pittsburgh.

DiPietro said he doesn't regret squaring off with Johnson.

"Listen, I'm sick of losing, the team's sick of losing," DiPietro said. "You never go into a fight thinking you're going to get smashed in the face or with these kind of consequences, but it happens."