After losing their last two games, the New York Islanders got back on track against the Buffalo Sabres in tonight’s hard-fought battle. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the game-winning goal with just under five minutes to go in regulation, his seventh goal of the season.

Semyon Varlamov was a star tonight, totaling 34 saves (16 in the third period) and giving up two goals. He is a big reason why the Islanders walked out of the arena with two points. His counterpart, Linus Ullmark, recorded 20 saves for Buffalo.

Game Analysis

First Period Analysis

Sabres center Curtis Lazar opened the scoring tonight late in the first period. Not only did the Sabres take the lead, but they also significantly outshot the Islanders, leading 12-3 in that department. The Islanders did not register a shot on goal in the final sixteen minutes.

A bright spot for the Islanders is the performance of their defensemen in the first period. They played an effective two-way game, making plays on both ends of the ice. Andy Greene and Ryan Pulock each had a shot on goal this period, while Nick Leddy skated visibly well, which helped him create scoring opportunities.

Second Period Analysis

The Islanders opened up the second period with a big goal from captain Anders Lee, his eighth of the season and his fourth in his past five games, thanks to Jordan Eberle’s great assist. The Islanders outshot the Sabres 8-7 in the second period, heading to the locker room tied at one goal.

Third Period Analysis

Matt Martin scored quickly for the Islanders, as he picked up his second goal of the season to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead. However, this lead did not last long, as Sam Reinhart scored a nifty power-play goal to even the score. Nonetheless, the Islanders emerged victorious, thanks to the late-game heroics of Pageau.

What’s Next?

The Islanders play the Boston Bruins on Thursday at 7:00 PM EST.

John Smark