The deficit proved insurmountable against an Islanders team that entered the night ranked fifth in the NHL with an average of 2.46 goals allowed per game. After Olofsson and Nelson traded power-play goals in the second period, the Islanders held the Sabres without a single shot on goal in the third.
Okposo and captain Jack Eichel both said the late struggles were more a matter of puck mismanagement than anything having to do with rust from the long break.
"I don't think it was fatigue," Okposo said. "I just think that we got away from our game a little bit and kind of got sucked into what feeds their game and that's when you turn the puck over.
"They're a team that knows how to play with the lead, they know how to lock things down. I just thought we fed into their game in the third period."
Added Eichel: "I think as a group, myself, everyone, we've got to be better. It's a quick turnaround. We're going to play a lot of hockey in the next week or so. Obviously, we hadn't played in the last two weeks. But nobody wants to sit here and make excuses."