Pro Sports

Pageau lifts New York Islanders over Buffalo Sabres 3-2

Posted February 22, 2021 6:00 am

ALLAN KREDA

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) celebrates with Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) as defenseman Adam Pelech (3) and center Anders Lee (27) look on while Buffalo Sabres center Eric Staal (12) skates away after the New York Islanders defeated the Sabres 3-2 in an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) - Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a tiebreaking power-play goal in the third period and Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves, leading the New York Islanders to a 3-2 win over the last-place Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.

Pageau got his seventh goal at 15:08 when he banged in a rebound after Oliver Wahlstrom's initial shot was stopped by Buffalo goaltender Linus Ullmark. Pageau was acquired in a trade with Ottawa a year ago and scored eight goals in the playoffs with the Islanders.

'œMy confidence is good. I'm trying to do my best and things are bouncing my way right now,'' Pageau said. "I just have to keep going in the same direction.'ť

The Islanders beat the Sabres for the third straight time this season after two victories in Buffalo last week. The Islanders also moved to 5-0-1 at Nassau Coliseum, where they are playing their final season before moving to a new arena at Belmont Park next season.

'œIt feels like each game that passes, each game is the biggest game,'' Islanders forward Matt Martin said. 'ťIt's going to come down to the wire and we have to find ways to win as we did tonight."

Martin put New York in front 3:01 into the third, beating Ullmark with a shot from just inside the blueline for his second goal of the season.

But Buffalo's Sam Reinhart tied it at 2 at 5:48, batting the puck out of midair past Varlamov for this sixth goal.

Ullmark played well in the third, denying Brock Nelson and Adam Pelech on consecutive shots in the same sequence and stopping Pageau swooping in with just over nine minutes left. Ullmark made 20 saves.

'œThis is probably the most painful loss of the season for the way we were able to actually neutralize them, create opportunity but come out on the short end of the stick again,'ť Sabres coach Ralph Kreuger said.

Sabres forward Curtis Lazar opened the scoring with his fourth goal 17:15 into the first. It was only the fifth time in 15 games that the Sabres scored the first goal. Buffalo outshot New York 12-3 in the opening period.

Anders Lee tied it at 1 with his eighth of the season 3:56 into the second. After Mathew Barzal kept the puck in the Sabres zone, Lee finished a solid passing sequence with Ryan Pulock and Jordan Eberle by backhanding the puck past Ullmark.

The Islanders have won six straight against the Sabres. The Sabres are 2-7-2 in their last 11 games overall against the Islanders.

'œThis league you are going to be judged on your wins and losses, there is no mystery about that,'ť Lazar said. 'œIt was a hard-fought game. Obviously they are a very structured team, there is no secret about that.'ť

Islanders coach Barry Trotz praised Varlamov's performance after he made 16 saves in the third.

'œVarly was huge tonight. He made some huge saves off the power play and at the end there,'' Trotz said. 'ťAnd tonight the hockey gods were in our favor with a couple of posts they hit.'ť

Monday's game was originally scheduled for Feb. 2, but it was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Sabres.

WORTH NOTING

The Islanders are 7-1-2 this season when they score at least three goals.

INJURY WOES

The Sabres will be without defenseman Jake McCabe for the rest of the season after he injured his right knee during Saturday's 3-2 victory at New Jersey.

The 27-year-old McCabe was diagnosed with ligament and meniscus damage, and the team said he will need six to eight months to recover. McCabe got hurt trying to hit Devils captain Nico Hischier along the boards in the third period.

Sabres forward Tobias Rieder left Monday's loss at 15:38 of the first after a shoulder-to-shoulder hit from Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock.

SKINNER SCRATCHED

The Sabres made struggling forward Jeff Skinner a healthy scratch for the first time this season. A 40-goal scorer two seasons ago for the Sabres, Skinner signed an eight-year, $72 million contract extension in June 2019. He scored only 14 goals in 59 games last season and has just one assist in 14 games this season.

UP NEXT

Islanders: Hosting Boston Bruins on Thursday.

Sabres: Visiting New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrates with teammates after scoring the go-ahead goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. The Islanders defeated the Sabres 3-2. From left are right wing Oliver Wahlstrom (26), defenseman Nick Leddy (2), centers Brock Nelson (29) and Josh Bailey (12). (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) defends Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. The Islanders defeated the Sabres 3-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) trips going for the puck in front of New York Islanders center Anders Lee (27) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. The Islanders defeated the Sabres 3-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

New York Islanders right wing Oliver Wahlstrom (26) celebrates with defenseman Nick Leddy (2) and center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) after Pageau scored the go-ahead goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. The Islanders defeated the Sabres 3-2. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) The Associated Press

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