The Sabres' stretch of road games continues with another Eastern Conference matchup on Long Island.
The Buffalo Sabres can clinch a winning road trip when they visit the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Buffalo is 2-1-0 to begin its stretch of five straight road games coming off an important Atlantic Division victory in Montreal on Thursday.
The Sabres have an opportunity to make further noise in the conference against the Islanders, who sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points – but, like most teams in the crowded race, could still be a factor in the wild card picture down the line.
“It just seems like every game ends up being a tight game,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “They’re playing good hockey. This whole east is playing good hockey.”
The Sabres also enter the day in striking distance of third place in the Atlantic Division. They sit two points behind the Canadiens, who play at Boston on Saturday night.
The puck drops at 1 p.m. Here’s what you need to know in the meantime.
TV (Sabres broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 12:30 p.m.)
Streaming: Gotham Sports App, ESPN+ (out of market)
Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App
More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games
The Sabres will be without defenseman Jacob Bryson, who’s returned to Buffalo for further evaluation on the upper-body injury that forced him out of the game in Montreal. Zach Metsa re-enters the lineup in his place.
Rasmus Dahlin, who was in pain after blocking a shot late in the game against the Canadiens, did not practice on Friday but is in the lineup.
Alex Lyon gets the start in net. He’s on an eight-game personal winning streak, one shy of matching the Sabres’ franchise record for a goaltender (set by Gerry Desjardins in 1976). Lyon’s streak includes a 32-save victory (plus four more in the shootout) over the Islanders on Dec. 20.
Here’s the full lineup from warmups:
Lyon’s timely saves, including a breakaway stop on Mathew Barzal in overtime, were a key factor in the Sabres’ 3-2 shootout win over the Islanders in Buffalo back in December. That was also the game in which Rasmus Dahlin scored his end-to-end goal on the power play.
The Islanders were without forward Bo Horvat, their leading goal scorer, for that game. Horvat has since missed nine games in January with a separate injury but is expected to be back in the lineup against the Sabres.
Horvat, along with fellow centerman Barzal, helps engineer one of the league’s most productive rush offenses. The Islanders are tied for sixth in the NHL with 45 rush goals, according to Stathletes. (The Sabres rank third in that category with 47 and their next opponent, the Maple Leafs, lead the NHL with 50.)
In Horvat’s absence, New York was boosted by consistent production from forward Anthony Duclair, who has eight goals in his last eight games.
The Islanders have also received their usual steady goaltending from Ilya Sorokin, who leads the league with five shutouts (including two in January).
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