Buffalo Sabers middle Dylan Cozens (24) is congratulated for his objective in opposition to the New York Islanders within the second interval of an NHL hockey sport Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Buffalo, NY (AP Picture/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
BUFFALO — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 21 photographs for his fifth shutout of the season and the Buffalo Sabers beat the New York Islanders Four-Zero on Thursday evening to tie a season excessive with their third straight win.
Victor Olofsson, Dylan Cozens and Zach Benson scored inside 5:13 of the second interval as Buffalo outscored the Islanders 29-11 over two intervals and 37-21 general. Benson added an empty-net objective with Four:54 left.
Buffalo improved to Eight-Three-1 of their final 12 and continued to battle again. The Sabers completed three factors behind the Islanders and Pink Wings, who had been tied for the second wild card.
The Sabers took benefit of an Islanders group finishing a four-game street journey with the primary three video games being performed on the West Coast. The problem for Buffalo now’s to open a five-game street journey that begins Saturday in Detroit.
The Islanders, coming off a Three-Zero loss at Los Angeles on Monday, had been shut out for the sixth time this season and went 121:48 within the last minutes of a 6-1 victory in Anaheim. Sunday.
New York Islanders middle Kyle Palmieri (21) is stopped by Buffalo Sabers goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) through the second interval of an NHL hockey sport Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Buffalo, NY (AP Picture/Jeffrey T .Barnes) )
Ilya Sorokin stopped 33 photographs, falling to Eight-Three-2 in his final 13.
The Islanders dropped to Zero-5-2 of their final seven visits to Buffalo, following a Three-Zero win on Feb. 16, 2021. New York went clean by spending a lot of the opening interval locked in its personal zone and didn’t They don't get their first shot on objective till Adam Pelech knocks down a 50-footer 10:12 in.
Though he wasn't examined usually, Luukkonen made some key saves. His greatest got here with Eight:02 left within the second interval when Luukkonen crossed to get a chunk of Bo Horvat's blast from the correct circle with the puck trickling simply broad of the far put up.
The 25-year-old is 10-Three-1 in his final 14, permitting a complete of 28 targets, and 16-Eight-1 since claiming the beginning job in late December.
Olofsson opened the scoring Four:28 into the second interval as Buffalo capitalized on the NHL's worst penalty kill squad.
It took simply 18 seconds after Anders Lee was known as for interference for Buffalo to win the sport and get JJ Peterka to string a go up the center to Olofsson, who one-timed from a foul angle to the correct fillet.
Cozens made it 2-Zero by changing a rebound in entrance after Sorokin caught out his proper boot to cease Connor Clifton's shot from the correct circle. Benson scored by deflecting Henri Jokiharju's shot from the blue line and teammate Jordan Greenway tipped in Sorokin.
IT FOLLOWS
Islanders: Host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Sabres: Saturday at Detroit.