UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) – Islanders center Kevin Colley underwent four hours of surgery on his broken neck Thursday and will be operated on again next week.

The surgery, which decompressed Colley’s spinal cord and stabilized his spine from the front, was termed “successful” by the Islanders in a news release. Colley faces another operation Tuesday to provide further spine stabilization.

It is still not clear whether the injury will end Colley’s season or threaten his career. For now, the 27-year-old player is out indefinitely. He broke the fifth cervical vertebrae in his neck but there is no paralysis.

Colley was injured during a 5-3 victory over Washington on Tuesday night, slamming his head into the boards while entangled with Capitals defenseman Jamie Heward.

Colley had gone to check Heward, who slid his stick between Colley’s legs with 1:14 left in the first period. Colley didn’t connect with Heward and couldn’t slow or brace himself before crashing into the wall with his head down.

He remained on the ice for several minutes and was tended to by trainer Rich Campbell and Dr. Elliot Pellman, the head team physician. Colley skated off with assistance from teammates and was taken to a hospital. He had feeling in all his extremities.

Colley has no points and 52 penalty minutes in 16 NHL games, all this season with the Islanders. Jeremy Colliton was recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL on Wednesday to fill in for Colley at center.

New York is also without defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, who will miss at least two games because of an ankle injury sustained late in Tuesday’s win.

Zhitnik planned to sit out Thursday night against the New York Rangers and wasn’t expected back Saturday when the Islanders face the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

The 33-year-old Zhitnik, who signed a four-year deal with New York last August, sprained an ankle during the last shift.

AP-ES-02-02-06 1522EST