Pageau's power-play goal lifts Islanders past Sabres

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a power-play goal at 15:08 of the third period to help the New York Islanders to a 3-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Nassau Coliseum on Monday.

Pageau capitalized on a rebound of Oliver Wahlstrom's one-timer from the left face-off circle for his sixth goal in seven games.
"[Wahlstrom] has a great shot and he used it all game," Pageau said. "Missed the net a few times, had a few good shots, a few good chances. I think he was just trying to put it on net there and I got lucky to get the rebound."
Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves for the Islanders (9-6-3), who played the first of four straight games at home, where they are 5-0-1.
"We've got to find ways to win like we did tonight," New York forward Matt Martin said. "You're not going to have your best every single night, but you find ways to pull through. We've got to take advantage of our time at home most importantly. We've got a pretty big stretch here now."

Curtis Lazar and Sam Reinhart scored, and Linus Ullmark made 20 saves for the Sabres (5-8-2), who learned before the game defenseman Jake McCabe would miss the rest of the season because of injuries to his right knee. They were also without defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who was removed from the COVID-19 protocol list Feb. 17 and is working his way back into shape after testing positive for the virus Feb. 2.
Buffalo has lost four of five games since returning from a COVID-19 pause Feb. 15.
"It's extremely painful," Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said. "We need [wins] right now, so good games don't count. This is going to be a tough one to swallow because of the way we were able to fill the holes of the injured players. I thought everybody coming in here played well.
"… This is probably the most painful loss of the season for the way we were able to actually neutralize them, create opportunity, but [we] come out on the short end of the stick again. We have to be responsible for that."
Lazar redirected a point shot from Henri Jokiharju to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 17:15 of the first period.
Buffalo outshot New York 12-3 in the first.
"Guys competed tonight and I think it showed," Reinhart said. "They came out on top of it, [but] I think you're seeing a team that's a little more comfortable in those situations and that's what we need to strive to be. … I think we can learn hopefully how to close out those games."

Anders Lee was left alone in front and faked going to his forehand before slipping the puck on his backhand under Ullmark's left pad to tie it 1-1 at 3:56 of the second period.
"Stick with it. I think the way the game was going, I think we were creating some chances but nothing was getting on net, going wide, and kind of felt the frustration pick up a little bit," Lee said. "When that happens, you've just got to find a way to stay positive, stay on your game instead of deviating away from it. I think we did a pretty good job of kind of battling through a little bit of a sloppy game at times and found a way."
Martin put the Islanders ahead 2-1 with a shot from the top of the right circle at 3:01 of the third period.

Reinhart tied it 2-2 when he batted the puck on his backhand out of midair for a power-play goal at 5:48.
Varlamov made 16 saves in the third.
"I thought 'Varly' was huge tonight for us," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "He made some huge saves off their power play, he made some huge saves towards the end."
NOTES:Buffalo forward Tobias Rieder left the game with an undisclosed injury at 15:38 of the first period after a shoulder-to-shoulder hit from New York defenseman Ryan Pulock. … It's the seventh time in Islanders history they have earned at least one point in each of their first six home games.