Islanders blank Sabres to end 3-game slide

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season, and the New York Islanders defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-0 at UBS Arena on Saturday.

It was his first shutout since Nov. 25, 2023, when he made 40 saves in a 1-0 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

“I don’t remember when my last shutout was,” Sorokin said. “It was a long time ago. Thanks to the guys for fighting until the end. It was a great win today.”

Simon Holmstrom scored twice for the second straight game, and Anders Lee had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (9-10-6), who had lost three straight. They lost 5-4 in overtime to the Washington Capitals on Friday.

“It feels good. It definitely feels good,” New York coach Patrick Roy said. “I thought we played strong for 60 minutes from the start to the end. Our power play scored a big goal for us. Our penalty-killing was really good, and we were outstanding at 5-on-6. We had a huge save at the start of the third period, and I thought that was the key to the game.”

James Reimer made 17 saves for the Sabres (11-11-2), who were shut out for the second time in three games and lost their third in a row, including a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

“We couldn’t just quite corral the puck around the net,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “I thought, again, we missed the net quite often. That didn’t allow a second opportunity. I think the one that probably hurt us the most was the late 2-on-1.”

Matt Martin appeared to give New York a 1-0 lead at 12:45 of the first period, but the goal was overturned after Buffalo challenged for offside.

Lee put the Islanders up 1-0 on the power play at 7:23 of the second period, deflecting Kyle Palmieri’s pass to the crease.

Holmstrom extended the lead to 2-0 at 9:28 on a 2-on-1 when he converted a cross-ice pass from Lee in the right face-off circle.

“We just gave them what they were looking for,” Sabres forward Dylan Cozens said. “We came out flat. Our execution was terrible. And we played right into their hand and did exactly what they wanted us to do.”

With the Sabres on a short-handed 2-on-1, Sorokin made a blocker save while in a split to stop Cozens’ one-timer from the left circle at 1:11 of the third period.

“That's a big point of the game,” Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “I mean, we're on the power play, and that happens. That's a key moment in the game. Heck of a save by [Sorokin], and that allowed us to stay in it and find another gear after that.”

Later in the third, Buffalo forward Alex Tuch made a move to the front of the net, but Sorokin kicked out the left pad to deny the backhand try at 7:46.

Holmstrom scored into an empty net at 19:52 for his second goal of the game and the 3-0 final.

“We wanted to have to go face it,” Lee, the Islanders captain, said of his team holding on to a third-period lead after often struggling to do this season; New York had lost six of its previous seven games and blown a lead in the third in five of those losses. “We wanted to go right after it. We did exactly what we wanted to do. Go get a two-goal lead, and let’s finish it off. Let’s go right after this thing.”

NOTES: Lee has two goals and three assists in his past two games. … Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) missed a second straight game. … It was Sorokin’s 19th NHL shutout. … Sabres forward Sam Lafferty did not play. He suffered a lower-body injury in the first period Friday.