Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Alex Lyon made 32 saves to help the Buffalo Sabres to a fifth-straight victory with a 3-2 shootout win over the New York Islanders on Saturday at KeyBank Center.
The Sabres wasted little time converting on their first power play chance of the game just minutes in to take a 1-0 lead.
It was the captain, Rasmus Dahlin, deciding to take the puck from behind his own net and going end-to-end with a goal to get Buffalo the early lead.
Lyon was credited with the only assist on the game's first goal. It came with Mathew Barzal in the penalty box for tripping.
Buffalo thought they had doubled the lead on their other power play of the period. However, contact with David Rittich in the goal crease negated Josh Norris' goal. The officials discussed the play after waving it off and upheld their decision.
The Sabres finished the first period with 12 shots on goal.
Lyon has started both of the home games this week for the team. He stopped all seven Islanders shots in the period.
It took until midway through the second period, but the Sabres eventually added to their lead thanks to Tage Thompson. Josh Doan dropped a pass back to Thompson, who used a move to just beat Rittich.
Thompson's 18th goal of the year gave Buffalo a 2-0 lead midway through the game.
Barzal was able to get a late goal with less than a minute remaining in the second period to halve New York's deficit to a goal after two periods. It was the forward's 10th goal of the season.
Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom were credited with the assist on the score.
New York used a late power play chance in the third period to tie the game and send the contest to overtime.
Emil Heineman scored his 12th goal of the season with a 6-on-4 extra man advantage. Barzal and Matthew Schaefer assisted on the game-tying goal that came with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
New York recorded five shots in the overtime period, but once again, Lyon was able to keep the puck out of the net.
This time, it forced a shootout between the two teams.
Barzal was the first player to score in the shootout, but he would be the only Islanders player to score.
Jack Quinn answered to tie the shootout at 1-1, and it then took until the fifth round for Norris to score the game-winning goal. Lyon then stopped Calum Ritchie in the bottom of the fifth round to secure the 3-2 victory.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 1:47 - Rasmus Dahlin (4) PPG (Alex Lyon)
NYI: NONE
Second Period:
BUF: 8:55 - Tage Thompson (18) (Josh Doan)
NYI: 19:37 - Mathew Barzal (10) (Anders Lee, Simon Holmstrom)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
NYI: 19:31 - Emil Heineman (12) PPG (Mathew Barzal, Matthew Shaefer)
Overtime:
BUF: NONE
NYI: NONE
Shootout:
BUF: Tage Thompson - Save
NYI: Mathew Barzal - GOAL
BUF: Jack Quinn - GOAL
NYI: Simon Holmstrom - Save
BUF: Alex Tuch - Save
NYI: Emil Heineman - Save
BUF: Noah Ostlund - Save
NYI: Jonathan Drouin - Save
BUF: Josh Norris - GOAL
NYI: Calum Ritchie - Save
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Blue Star Home Services Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Alex Lyon - BUF
2.) Rasmus Dahlin - BUF
3.) Josh Norris - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres have no time to rest with a meeting against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday at the Prudential Center in Neward. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. on the flagship home of the Sabres Radio Network - WGR Sports Radio 550. Pregame coverage with Brian Koziol begins at 6:45 p.m.