After yesterday’s 8-3 loss, the Islanders really needed this game to go well. And it almost did, as they came back twice, with Cal Ritchie and Anders Lee finding the back of the net for game tying goals. But then the Sabres reclaimed the lead late, taking advantage of bad defensive play by the Islanders, and I think we all knew they weren’t going to come back again.
Brayden Schenn did pick up a true garbage time goal with almost no time left at all, but by then the Sabres had locked down the 4-3 win and two points that the Islanders really could have used. For now, the Islanders sit in third in the Metropolitan Division, now three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]
First Period
There was no Simon Holmström for the Islanders tonight as he was out with an upper body injury. Anthony Duclair got back into the lineup in his place. Ilya Sorokin also, unsurprisingly, started tonight, playing both games of the back to back for the second time, I believe, this season.
Carson Soucy took an early high sticking penalty against Zach Benson, but the Sabres’ power play would be canceled out when Josh Norris was called for interfering with Matthew Schaefer. Neither team could convert on the 4 on 4, and the Islanders couldn’t make anything work on the power play.
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Adam Pelech was hit awkwardly against the boards and was holding his arm while he skated over to the bench in pain, but he ended up okay, fortunately, and played the rest of the game.
He later took a high sticking penalty, and Jack Quinn gave Buffalo the lead with a power play goal.
Second Period
Kyle MacLean took a high sticking penalty that the Islanders killed.
Anders Lee was given a penalty shot but Ukko Pekka Luukkonen made the save.
Ilya Sorokin and Scott Mayfield helped stop the Sabres from going up 2-0, and then Mattias Samuelsson took a delay of game penalty. On that power play, Brayden Schenn set up Cal Ritchie backdoor to tie the game.
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Lee hit Josh Norris into the boards at an awkward angle, and he was down for a while bleeding, but no penalty was called on the play.
Third Period
Not unexpectedly, Sam Carrick challenged Lee to a fight at the start of the period. Lee won the fight, and Carrick was hurt after, needing the trainers to come out after he landed awkwardly on his arm.
Soucy took a hooking penalty, and Tage Thompson made it 2-1 on the power play.
Sorokin saved some chances by Zach Benson, and then Norris and Mayfield got into it, sending both of them to the box. Norris crosschecked Mayfield, and Mayfield tried to go at him and drew a crowd. Norris picked up an extra two penalty minutes, giving the Isles a power play that the Sabres killed.
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But a few minutes later, Lee tied it at 2, banking the puck in off Owen Power.
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Unfortunately, though, Peyton Krebs made it 3-2 shortly after, after Alex Tuch got around Soucy and set him up from behind the net.
Then, the Islanders pulled Sorokin, and Bo Horvat couldn’t intercept a clear heading towards the empty net, and so Bowen Byram got credit for the 4-2 goal.
Schenn made it 4-3 with barely a second left in the game, but it was too late for any chance at even salvaging a point.
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Up Next
Next, the Islanders have a couple of days off before they head back to UBS Arena to take on the suddenly back in the playoff race Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night.
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