So the Islanders are traveling to Buffalo to play the Sabres. The weather outside looks like we are in Buffalo with them. Sabres are trying to catch Carolina and the Penguins for the last wildcard spot. Have to admit would love to see that happen after tonight. Islanders are still the hottest team in hockey since December. They are continuing to do many things right, though they gave up PP goal in the last game our PK has been fantastic over the last 10 games. Now we need to get our PP going. The PP has looked better just not getting the consistent results yet. I believe it is coming though. Our biggest dilemma is going to be what do we do with Hickey and Ladd as both are very close to getting back into a game. Real depth and where do we play them? Have to admit what a great problem to have.
SEASON SERIES: NYI LEADS 1-0-0
The Islanders beat the Sabres 3-1 on New Year's Eve. Robin Lehner made 39 saves in his emotional return to Buffalo. Leo Komarov, Brock Nelson and Ryan Pulock scored for the Islanders who are 5-1-0 in their last six games against the Sabres. The teams conclude their season series on March 30 at NYCB Live.
ISLANDERS NOTES:
- The Islanders are riding a three-game winning streak as they head to Buffalo. The Islanders are 9-1-2 in their last 12 games and are 19-4-2 in their last 25 games, the most wins and best record in the NHL since Dec. 15.
- The Islanders (72 points) are extending their lead atop the Metropolitan Division. The Isles are five points ahead of the Washington Capitals (68 points), seven points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets (65 points) and seven points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins (65 points). According to Eric Hornick, this marks the first time since Feb. 19, 2015 the Islanders have held a five-point lead in their division.
- With no practice on Monday, Tuesday's starting goalie is TBD, but with the way Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss have played of late, the Islanders are comfortable with either goaltender. Lehner is 13-2-1 (1.53 GAA, .947 SV%) in his last 16 decisions and leads the NHL in GAA (2.05) and SV% (.930) with a minimum of 19 games played.
Greiss is rolling as well, going 4-0-1 in his past five starts, stopping 154-of-157 shots over that span (0.58 GAA and .981 SV%). It's worth noting that in Greiss' shootout loss, the Islanders goalie still recorded a 41-save shutout against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Per Eric Hornick: Lehner has won 17 games and Greiss 16, marking the second time in the last 15 seasons that the Isles have gotten at least 16 wins from two different goalies. Greiss won 23 games and Jaroslav Halak 18 in 2015-16.
- Devon Toews scored his fourth goal - and second game-winner - of the season on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild. Toews' two game-winning goals are only one shy of Denis Potvin to tie the Islanders' rookie record. Toews has six points (4G, 2A) in 21 games this season and the Islanders are 16-3-2 with Toews in the lineup.
- Ryan Pulock has seven points (2G, 5A) in his last five games. Pulock scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Saturday's 4-3 OT win over Colorado and had the primary assist on Devon Toews game-winner in a 2-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday.
- Anthony Beauvillier scored his first goal in 12 games on Sunday vs the Wild, giving him 13 on the season.
- Cal Clutterbuck missed both games over the weekend with an unspecified injury, though the veteran forward took warmups on Sunday. Tom Kuhnhackl drew into the lineup in both contests.
SABRES NOTES:
- The Sabres are 2-2-1 in their last five games and are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. Buffalo is coming off a 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
- The Sabres (61 points) are currently four points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres were last in a playoff spot on Jan. 11.
- Jack Eichel leads the Sabres with 59 points (18G, 41A) in 52 games. Eichel has set a career-high with 43 even strength points (14G, 29A) this season.
- Jeff Skinner leads the Sabres with 33 goals and is second on the team with 50 points. Skinner's 33 goals tie the second-highest single-season total of his career (2013-14), while his career high is 37 goals, set in the 2016-17 season with Carolina. Skinner's 237 goals are the 13th-most in the NHL since the start of the 2010-11 season.
- Rasmus Dahlin has 31 points (6G, 25A) in 55 games this season. Dahlin leads all rookie defensemen in points and is tied with Elias Pettersson for the most rookie assists this season.
- Zach Bogosian missed Sunday's game with a lower-body injury.
The New York Islanders have won three in a row and are 9-1-2 in their last 12 games to strengthen their grip on first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders bid to add to those totals and post a sixth win in seven outings over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday when the clubs meet at KeyBank Center.
Robin Lehner has been instrumental in the ascent of the Islanders, posting a 13-2-1 mark with a 1.53 goals-against average and .947 save percentage in his last 16 decisions. Included in that stretch is a season-high 39-save performance in a 3-1 win against his former team, which represented the 27-year-old Swede's first visit to Buffalo since he departed a game on March 29 against Detroit because of a panic attack -- he was subsequently treated for alcohol addiction and also diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ADHD and PTSD. Captain Jack Eichel extended this point streak to five games (two goals, four assists) with the Sabres' lone goal in Sunday's 3-1 setback to Winnipeg, dropping the club to 2-2-1 on its season-high seven-game homestand while keeping it just outside of the postseason picture. "Other teams are getting points and moving up the standings and we're not," the 22-year-old Eichel said. "I think the moral victories are a thing of the past at this point."
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (33-16-6): Ryan Pulock scored in New York's first game versus Buffalo on New Year's Eve and answered a one-point performance in January with two goals and five assists in his last five contests. The 24-year-old set up fellow defenseman Devon Toews' power-play goal in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Minnesota. "We're at the top of our division," Pulock told Newsday. "There are all those teams below us trying to catch us. It's good, though. If we keep winning, they're not going to be able to catch us."
ABOUT THE SABRES (27-21-7): While Eichel leads the team in assists (41) and points (59), Jeff Skinner (club-best 33 goals) set up the captain's second-period goal versus the Jets for his 50th point of the season. Rookie Rasmus Dahlin picked up the secondary assist on Eichel's tally for his 31st point, tying him with Jim Benning (Toronto, 1981-82) and former Sabre Doug Bodger (Pittsburgh 1984-85) for the third-most recorded by an NHL defenseman before his 19th birthday. Dahlin won't have to look far to find one of the members on that list, with Buffalo coach Phil Housley (57) and Bobby Orr (38) having more as an 18-year-old blue-liner.
OVERTIME
1. Former Islander RW Kyle Okposo was the lone Sabre to solve Lehner in the teams' first encounter, although he has just three points -- all goals -- in his last 11 games.
2. New York owns a 7-1-1 mark in its last nine road contests.
3. Buffalo went 0-for-5 on the power play Sunday on the heels of a 5-for-10 stretch in its previous four games.
Go Isles!
We are 3 points ahead of the Caps, who have 69 points ;)
I was only mad at losing Martin that year but at the price it was understandable but damn is he an Islander. Those 3 together are just awesome.
Even if he'll never live up to his contract, I'm hopeful to see how Ladd can contribute under Trotz system. He looked good before he got hurt and if he can play a steady two-way game and chip in a few goals, he could really help. Might be the type of guy who'd have good chemistry with Barzal or help on the power play. Only real dilemma is who sits.
Still not sold on this being the year to go out and overpay for a rental for the playoffs. The structure and the room seem to be working so I'm hesitant to mess with that now.
I think it was only a matter of time until Pulock was put in the Ovechkin role on the PP. Good to see Trotz trusting him now
Still not sold on this being the year to go out and overpay for a rental for the playoffs. The structure and the room seem to be working so I'm hesitant to mess with that now.
I would not go crazy on a rental, but terrible play on the ice and not bad drafting has left us with a deep pool of prospects. Sebastian Aho could start for many teams, but he is stuck in Bridgeport and we do have Dobson and Wilde in the pipeline behind him.
On Long Island it is Channel 206
Appreciate it.
They had a little bit of bad puck luck last night and they are going to be a little more subject to that than other contenders because of the lack of skill up front. If the top 6 isn't able to reliably score goals, the games like last night will happen more than we'd like.
There's a lot of talk about Lee, Eberle and Nelson and whether these guys should get big long term contracts. I think this year's Isles have been more a product of Trotz' system and I'm not sure I'd use a ton of cap space to bring these guys back. Hopefully Lou has an idea whether Stone and Panarin want to come to the Island because that's the type of high-end skill we can use, and we have the cap room to not be outbid by anyone for either or both of them.