Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres extended their win streak to a season-best four games on Saturday afternoon with a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center. Jeff Skinner and Tage Thompson both had a goal and assist for Buffalo in the victory.
The Sabres got two early chances on the power play, as both Zdeno Chara and Adam Pelech headed to the box for tripping. However, Buffalo failed to score either time with the man advantage. Then it was the Islanders who got a power play chance with Dylan Cozens in the box for Buffalo due to a hooking call.
After neither team scored on the power play, it was Casey Mittelstadt giving the Sabres the 1-0 lead, as he ripped one home his fifth goal of the season with a shot from the faceoff circle on an odd man rush.
New York tied the game up late in the first period, as Mathew Barzal connected on a one-timer, making it 1-1 heading to the first intermission.
The Sabres got the scoring going early in the second with Rasmus Dahlin scoring from the point on the power play just 1:17 into the period. The goal was Dahlin's 13th goal of the year.
Just minutes later, Thompson extended the Sabres' lead to 3-1 with a blast on a one-timer. It was Thompson's 37th goal of the season.
Buffalo continued their scoring in the second period, as Vinnie Hinostroza drove to the net and roofed his 13th goal of the year, making it 4-1.
The Islanders made it a closer game in the third period, scoring a pair of goals less than two minutes apart midway through the stanza. Kieffer Bellows made it 4-2 with a strong move to the net around Casey Fitzgerald. Moments later, Ryan Pulock scored through traffic from the point, as the puck snuck through Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski.
However, Skinner staved off the Islanders' pressure, as he chipped in a rebound goal from the side of the net, making the score 5-3 just 2:18 after the Islanders closed the deficit to just one goal.
The game turned physical late in the game, as a scrum occurred at center-ice after Skinner and Adam Pelech took off-setting roughing penalties. Multiple penalties were also called on both teams, with 10-minute misconducts being given to Skinner, Pelech and Ross Johnston.
The Sabres ended up holding on to the 5-3 lead in the final five minutes to earn a hard-earned victory.
----------
GAME RECAP
Scoring Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 12:11 - Casey Mittelstadt (5) (Kyle Okposo, Casey Fitzgerald)
NYI: 17:09 - Mathew Barzal (15) (Noah Dobson, Sebastian Aho)
Second Period:
BUF: 1:13 - Rasmus Dahlin (13) (Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch); 4:05 - Tage Thompson (37) (Jacob Bryson, Victor Olofsson); 12:48 - Vinnie Hinostroza (13) (Anders Bjork, Zemgus Girgensons)
NYI: NONE
Third Period:
BUF: 12:40 - Jeff Skinner (33) (Tage Thompson, Victor Olofsson)
NYI: 8:45 - Noah Dobson (12) (Zach Parise, Zdeno Chara); 10:22 - Kieffer Bellows (5) (Ryan Pulock, Otto Koivula)
----------
Penalty Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 9:34 - Dylan Cozens (Hooking - 2 min.)
NYI: 3:39 - Zdeno Chara (Tripping - 2 min.); 5:48 - Adam Pelech (Tripping - 2 min.); 19:35 - Adam Pelech (Hooking - 2 min.)
Second Period:
BUF: 7:45 - Jeff Skinner (Slashing - 2 min.)
NYI: 14:49 - Sebastian Aho (Hooking - 2 min.)
Third Period:
BUF: 14:40 - Jeff Skinner (Roughing - 2 min.; 10-minute misconduct)
NYI: 14:40 - Matt Martin (Roughing - 2 min.); 14:40 - Adam Pelech (Roughing - 2 min.; 10-minute misconduct); 14:40 - Ross Johnston (10-minute misconduct); 16:59 - Zach Parise (Slashing - 2 min.)
----------
----------
Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Tage Thompson - BUF
2.) Rasmus Dahlin - BUF
3.) Vinnie Hinostroza - BUF
----------
What's Next:
The Sabres have four days off before they head to Boston to take on the Bruins on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET. Catch all of the action on the flagship home of the Sabres Radio Network - WGR Sports Radio 550 - starting with pregame coverage at 6 p.m. ET with Schopp and the Bulldog.
