In a really fun game tonight at home, the Sabres beat the Islanders 4-3 to get back alone in first place in the Atlantic Division.
I didn’t blog our last two games while I was on vacation, but I’m back home and completely locked in!
The Sabres scored seconds in their second power play chance with Jack Quinn, walking in and taking a nice wrist shot with a little deke on the toe of the stick to beat Sorokin with 5:41 to go in the first. The Sabres played better as the period went on, doubling up the Isles on shots 12-6 and out chancing them 9-1 through 20 minutes.
With 13:26 left in the second period, Anders Lee was awarded a penalty shot but UPL stayed with him through the attempt and made the save, so no harm, no foul. The Isles answered back with 2:03 left in the second, with Calum Richie going to the net to tap in an easy setup from good passing by a beautiful cross ice pass to the crease by Brayden Schenn and Bo Horvat to set him up with pulling Luukkonen out of the net. Late in the period, the Isles hit Josh Norris in what looked like it was high, but was determined to not be a penalty and after that I thought we played way harder after that. Fun second period.
Right off the opening draw, Sam Carrick fought Anders Lee. Good way to open the period even though Carrick went to the locker room. On the following power play, Tage ripped it from the slot surrounded by three Isles defenseman to get the Sabres the lead back 2:40 into the second. Huge goal. The Isles answered back with 6:21 to go in regulation with Anders Lee throwing it in front from the wall to the crease and Owen Power fanning on his clearing attempt and it going off his skate and in the net. Shitty goal to give up. Payton Krebs gave the Sabres the lead back with 3:01 left in regulation, with Alex Tuch making such a beautiful play, going around the back of the net and backhanding it to Krebs in the slot to cash home. Bowen Byram gave the Sabres a perfect 198 foot empty netter to get the insurance goal with 1:43 left to go. With a second left the Islanders scored to get within one on a goal by Brayden Schenn, but too little too late for it to matter.
FINAL: Sabres 4, Islanders 3
Huge win in a really fun game for the 2000th win in franchise history. We hit 100 points on the season, which who the hell would’ve thought that would happen going into the year and with Tampa losing to the Habs, that puts us back in first place alone in the Atlantic. I was on edge all game here as the Islanders kept it close the entire time, but we get the win and were the better teams with 25 scoring chances to the Isles 14. Better team prevailed though and we get the much needed victory (in regulation to cash my bet too).
Back at it Thursday in another big game against the Sens.
Let’s Go Buffalo!
Please follow me:
Instagram: @atownszone
Twitter: @atownszone
If you like the site and my work, share it with your friends!
… and tell Dave Portnoy to hire me at Barstool…
A Town's Zone 