BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bo Horvat and Maxim Tsyplakov each contributed a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders secured a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
The win halted the Islanders’ three-game losing streak. Kyle Palmieri and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also got on the scoreboard, while goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 32 crucial saves for the Islanders.
For the Sabres, Dylan Cozens, Jason Zucker, and Owen Power found the back of the net. Devon Levi, the Sabres’ goalie, recorded 32 saves.
Cozens opened the scoring with his first goal of the season just over nine minutes into the first period. However, Horvat quickly responded with a breakaway goal just 40 seconds later.
The Islanders took the lead when Tsyplakov scored with a brilliant play 5:25 into the second period. Palmieri extended their advantage to 3-1 with a power-play goal at the 12:20 mark.
Zimmer rallied the Sabres with his third goal of the season at 5:27 into the third period, overcoming a missed penalty shot earlier in the game.
Pageau scored again for the Islanders, bringing the score to 4-2 just over eight minutes into the final period. Power closed the gap for Buffalo with a goal at 1:01 remaining, as they looked to mount a late comeback.
Takeaways highlight that the Islanders, having struggled with offense in recent games by scoring only once in their previous eight periods, finally found their rhythm.
On the other hand, the Sabres continued their inconsistent performance, having lost two consecutive games after winning three straight.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly was hurt following a hit from Jordan Greenway, appearing to hit his head against the ice. He remained down for several minutes before being escorted to the locker room.
In terms of statistics, Anders Lee stood out for the Islanders with two assists, marking a turnaround after he had netted three goals without any assists in his first ten games of the season.
Looking ahead, the Islanders are set to face the New York Rangers on Sunday, while the Sabres will take on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.