NEW YORK — Rasmus Dahlin delivered a standout performance with four assists as the Buffalo Sabres decisively ended a 13-game winless streak, dominating the New York Islanders with a score of 7-1 on Monday night.
This victory marked Buffalo’s first win since a game against San Jose on November 23, with the team having recorded no wins in the prior 10 games, resulting in a disheartening record of 0-10-3 during that stretch.
Contributing to the Sabres’ triumph, Jiri Kulich scored twice and added an assist, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves in net. Jack Quinn also shone with a goal and an assist, alongside other scorers including Tage Thompson, Beck Malenstyn, Jason Zucker, and Zach Benson.
The Islanders managed to find the net late in the second period when Kyle Palmieri scored his 12th goal of the season with just 55 seconds remaining.
This loss for New York marked their third defeat in the last four games.
Buffalo pulled ahead significantly when Zucker netted a power-play goal 6:53 into the second period, extending their lead to 3-0, with Quinn later scoring at 18:21 to make it 5-0.
Frustration was palpable among the crowd at UBS Arena, with boos echoing as the Sabres continued to dominate the match.
In goal for the Islanders, Ilya Sorokin recorded 18 saves during his 11th consecutive start.
A noteworthy takeaway for the Sabres is that this represented their highest scoring game of the season, a significant improvement compared to their earlier 6-1 victory against the New York Rangers on November 7.
On the other hand, the Islanders are now 6-8-2 at home, struggling to make an impact in front of their fans.
A crucial moment in the game occurred when Luukkonen made a key save against Jean-Gabriel Pageau with just over four minutes left in the first period, preserving Buffalo’s early advantage.
In terms of standings, the Sabres currently sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a record of 12-19-4.
Looking ahead, the Sabres will host the Chicago Blackhawks this Friday, while the Islanders will face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
