Game Preview: Islanders vs Sabres 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (0-0-0) VS BUFFALO SABRES (0-1-0)

7:30 | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS

WATCH: MSGSN | MSG+ | ESPN+

LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050AM

The wait is finally over.

The New York Islanders will host the Buffalo Sabres at UBS Arena on Saturday night to kick off the regular season, and the Islanders are fired up to say the least.

“It’s where the fun begins,” Sebastian Aho said on Friday. “We had an extra week of practice to work on the small stuff, but at the same time you see games on TV every night and you just want to get back into it.”

While the Islanders are kicking off their season, Buffalo got underway on Thursday night, dropping their first game of the regular season 5-1 to the New York Rangers. JJ Peterka scored the lone goal for Buffalo, while Devon Levi made 26 saves on 30 shots.

The Islanders and Anaheim Ducks have the latest Opening Nights in the league, as 30 other clubs will have already played at least one game before the Islanders take their first crack of the season on Saturday. Head Coach Lane Lambert knows what to expect from Buffalo and said the Islanders are facing a stiff test in their first opponent of the regular season.

“They come as advertised, they're highly skilled and they're fast,” Lambert said of Buffalo. “They've got some talent and certainly, we have to be aware of that talent and be prepared to defend.”

OPENING NIGHT 

To celebrate the Islanders season opener on Saturday, all fans in attendance for the home opener vs Buffalo will go home with an Islanders scarf, presented by UBS.

ISLANDERS NOTES

- The Islanders went 2-4-0 in the preseason.Mathew Barzal led the way with four points (2G, 2A) in four games.

- Simon Holmstrom was recalled from Bridgeport on Thursday after he was briefly loaned to Bridgeport on Monday ahead of the NHL deadline to submit a 23-man roster. A spot on the roster opened up for the Swedish winger after Ross Johnston was claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday afternoon. Holmstrom racked up nine points (6G, 3A) through 50 games played last season. If he starts on Saturday, it’ll mark the first Opening Night NHL game for the 22-year-old.

“I can’t wait to get going again, play in front of the fans and get a win” Holmstrom said. “We have the top fans in the league, so we’re excited to get out there tomorrow and play in front of them.”

- Holmstrom skated on a line with Barzal and Bo Horvat this past week and at times during preseason. He’s expected to get a shot on that line to start the season.

- The Islanders are 14-6-2 over the last five seasons against the Sabres and went 1-1-1 last season. Casey Cizikas potted three points (1G, 2A) through the three tilts against the Sabres last year, while the winger carries a career record of 19 points (5G, 14A) in 34 games against the club.

- Saturday’s tilt against the Sabres marks the first of a three-game homestand for the Islanders.
“It's always nice to start at home because you kind of get that energy boost straight from the from the get-go,” Aho said.

SABRES NOTES

- In their home opener on Thursday, the Sabres honored the legendary late broadcaster Rick Jeanneret with a video tribute prior to puck drop. The organization renamed a street outside of KeyBank Center “RJ Way” and the team will wear an “RJ” jersey patch this season.

- Defenseman Owen Power inked a seven-year deal with the Sabres on Wednesday, set to kick in next season. The 20-year-old is entering his second full season in Buffalo after collecting 35 points (4G, 31A) last season through 79 games. The 2021 first-overall pick recorded an assist on Thursday against the Rangers.

- The Sabres also signed another member of their defensive core in Rasmus Dahlin on Monday, to an eight-year deal which begins next season. The 23-year-old played five full seasons in Buffalo, producing 73 points (15G, 58A) through 78 games last season, which ranked fifth among defenseman in the league. Dahlin was the first-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.

- Over the summer, Buffalo acquired Connor Clifton as a free agent and inked the defenseman to a three-year deal. Clifton played the past five seasons with the Boston Bruins and made his Sabres debut on Thursday.

- Netminder Devon Levi got the nod to start in Buffalo’s home opener and made 26 saves in the loss to the Rangers. The 21-year-old went 5-2-0 with a 2.94 GAA and a .905 save percentage last season in his first seven NHL outings and signed a three-year, entry-level deal in March.

- Tage Thompson led the Sabres with 47 goals and 94 points last season. The Sabres sniper finished 15th in the league in points and sixth in goals.

- Buffalo’s power play went 0-for-3 on Thursday night against the Rangers, while their penalty kill went 3-for-4. Last season, the Sabres sported the ninth-best power play in the league (23.4%), while their penalty kill ranked 28th in the NHL (73.0%).