Jeff Skinner, Mattias Samuelsson and Dylan Cozens scored within a span of just over six minutes bridging the second and third periods on Saturday night for the host Buffalo Sabres, who beat the New York Islanders 3-1.
Eric Comrie, making his season debut, recorded 24 saves and carried a shutout into the final two minutes of the game for the Sabres, who nearly posted their first shutout since Comrie stopped 26 shots in a 2-0 win over the Islanders on March 25.
Noah Dobson was credited with the goal that ended the shutout bid with 1:21 left, as his shot glanced off the upper arm of Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton.
Semyon Varlamov, also making his first appearance of the season, made 40 saves for the Islanders, who lost both ends of their first back-to-back of the 2023-24 campaign. New York fell to the New Jersey Devils, 5-4, in overtime on Friday night.
Casey Mittelstadt had primary assists on the first two goals for the Sabres, who outshot the Islanders 29-15 before finally breaking the scoreless tie late in the second.
Mittelstadt started the go-ahead sequence by getting in between the Islanders’ Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas along the boards in the New York zone and picking off Martin’s pass. The Sabres center then weaved his way through the slot and dished to Skinner, who went to one knee and fired a shot beyond Varlamov’s glove with 3:23 left.
The Sabres doubled their lead with 36.7 seconds remaining in the period. Skinner was checked near center ice by the Islanders’ Adam Pelech but managed to control the puck and dish to Mittelstadt, who raced toward the net before falling. He got back to his feet behind the net and passed to Samuelsson, who got into the middle of the slot and sent a shot over the stick of Varlamov, who was screened by teammate Dobson.
Another Islanders turnover led to Cozens’ insurance goal 2:40 into the third. Samuel Bolduc’s clearing pass was intercepted by Rasmus Dahlin, who exchanged the puck with Jordan Greenway. Greenway then passed to Cozens, who was stationed in front of the net and fired a shot into the open left corner.
–Field Level Media
