Game Preview: Islanders vs Sabres

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (37-27-9) VS BUFFALO SABRES (34-31-6)
5 PM ET | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
WATCH: ESPN+ | HULU
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050AM
The New York Islanders are looking to get back into the win column as they host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday at 5 p.m., with both teams completing a back-to-back set.
The Islanders salvaged a point in a 5-4 OT loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night at Nationwide Arena. Zach Parise, Brock Nelson (2G) and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders, but the Blue Jackets' four-goal middle frame and Boone Jenner's overtime winner was the difference-maker. Down 4-2 entering the third period, the Islanders rallied to force overtime and earn a valuable point.

"It took us too long to get to our game, but I had to give our guys credit, they found a way to scratch and claw," Head Coach Lane Lambert said after the overtime loss. "Considering were going into the third period down two, it was a big point to get."
The Sabres beat the New Jersey Devils 5-4 in regulation on Friday night to snap their four-game winless skid. Dylan Cozens (1G, 1A), Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn (1G, 1A) and Alex Tuch (2G, 1A) put up goals for Buffalo, as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves in net.
The season series between these two teams is knotted at one apiece. The Islanders got even in the series on Mar. 7 with a 3-2 victory at UBS Arena. Casey Cizikas (1G, 1A), Josh Bailey and Hudson Fasching (1G, 1A) scored to take the two points in the key wildcard matchup, which created a six-point buffer between the teams. Flash forward to the present, and the Islanders are nine ahead of the Sabres.
The Islanders (83 points, 73 games played) hold the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, three points clear of the Pittsburgh Penguins (80 points) and four points ahead of the Florida Panthers (79 points), but each team has a game in-hand over the Isles.
The Islanders are 14-5-2 over the last five seasons against the Sabres.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders picked up seven of a possible eight points in their last four games (3-0-1) and possess the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
ISLES VS SABRES
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GAME EXTRAS
Become a Season Ticket Member
Race to the Rink
Talkin' Isles
Isles History
• Brock Nelson netted a pair of goals to increase his total to 32 on the season. The 31-year-old center is having a career-year, extending his career-best to 67 points and is five goals shy of tying his career-best 37 goals, set last season.
• Zach Parise became the first player 38 or older in Islanders history to score 20 goals in a season on Friday night with the opening goal against Columbus. In the process, Parise and his father, J.P. Parise, became the fourth father-son duo in NHL history to score 20 goals in a season with the same franchise.
"That's a neat stat," Parise said. "We all know how much of an influence he had on me and my career and life and so you know, to have to share something like that with him is special."
The veteran winger is on a four-game goal streak, which is his longest since a six-game streak in the 2008-09 season.
• Hudson Fasching is on a four-game point streak (2G, 2A) and has nine points (4G, 5A) in his last 11 appearances.
• Bo Horvat snapped a five-game pointless drought with an assist on Friday.
• The Islanders have a record of 21-12-3 on home ice.

SABRES NOTES:

• The Sabres have fallen off since Mar. 1, going 3-7-2 over that span and averaging 4.38 goals against per game over that span - including a 10-4 loss to Dallas on Mar. 9. As a result, the Sabres (74 points) have dropped down the playoff ladder, sitting six points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins (80 points) for the second wild card with three other teams to leapfrog. Per MoneyPuck.com, even if the Sabres beat the Islanders in regulation, their odds to make the playoffs would only go up to 3.1%.
• Tage Thompson scored his 44th goal of the season, the most for a Sabre since 1992-93, when Alex Mogilny scored 76 and Pat LaFontaine netted 53. The goal was also Thompson's 100th in the NHL. He is riding a two-game goal streak, which ended an eight-game goal drought. The 25-year-old leads the Sabres in both goals and points (89).
• The Sabres signed Northeastern goaltender Devon Levi to a three-year entry-level contract on Monday. Levi led the NCAA is save percentage is each of the past two seasons, with a .952 SV% in 2021-22 and a .933 SV% this season. He was named Hockey East Goalie of the Year, Player of the Year and was a First Team All-Conference pick this season. He is currently a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
• Alex Tuch's career-year continues, as the Sabres forward netted his 31st and 32nd goals of the season on Friday vs New Jersey. Tuch finished with three points and how has 68 on the season, surpassing his previous career-high of 52, set with Vegas in the 2018-19 season.
• With Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen playing on Friday night, Eric Comrie still on the road back from injury and Levi only having one optional skate with the team, Craig Anderson is the likely starter for Saturday's game. The 41-year-old is 10-11-2 with a 3.07 GAA, a .908 SV% and one shutout this season. Anderson has allowed 21 goals over his past five games.