Sabres takeaways: Baffling mistakes give Isles spark to leave town with a victory
The Sabres (4-6-1) dropped too many coverages in their defensive zone and simply were left unaware on too many plays. They were outshot, 36-35, by a team that entered the
The New York Islanders hit town on a three-game losing streak that was absurdly ugly. All they needed to feel better was a night against the Buffalo Sabres.
Four goals in the last three games (including just one in the last eight periods)? No problem. The Islanders equaled that total by holding on for a 4-3 win over mistake-riddled Buffalo in KeyBank Center.
They did it even though they played without injured forwards Anthony Duclair and Mat Barzal and then lost defensemen Adam Pelech (puck to the face) and Mike Reilly (concussion) in the second period, leaving them to play most of the last 30 minutes with only four blueliners.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi (27) reacts after giving up a goal to New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri (21) during the second period. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
But those four did yeoman's work, as Ryan Pulock (25:21), Noah Dobson (24:55), Alexander Romanov (23:52) and Scott Mayfield (21:27) gave goaltender Ilya Sorokin plenty of room and Sorokin rewarded them with 32 saves, topped by a big pad stop on a Jason Zucker penalty shot in the third period.
The Sabres fell to 4-6-1 with a loss that was easy to pinpoint. Multiple players lost coverage on the Isles' first goal, a Bo Horvat breakaway at 9:43 of the first period, and Jordan Greenway's bad back pass in the offensive zone sent Maxim Tsyplakov away for a go-ahead tally at 5:25 of the second.
New York's third goal came when Owen Power didn't block Tsyplakov's pass or prevent Kyle Palmieri from banging it home, and Devon Levi couldn't beat JG Pageau to a loose puck in the crease for the fourth New York goal.
"Totally missed assignment on the first goal and we left the middle of the ice on the fourth goal. Those mistakes are killing us," said coach Lindy Ruff. "Let's be real. We handed them three goals. We've been playing pretty tight and it's starting to slip.
"I have to clean up our play. That's on me. We've been defending well."
That wasn't the case in this game, as the Sabres (4-6-1) dropped too many coverages in their defensive zone and simply were left unaware on too many plays. They were outshot, 36-35, by a team that entered the night last in the Eastern Conference standings.
"Too many mental mistakes gave them chances," said forward Jason Zucker. "We shouldn't have forwards not coming back for 'D'. Too many little mental lapses that caught up here. Against a team like that that plays stingy defense with a big D core, it's hard to create offense. So if you keep giving them two-goal leads, it's going to be hard to come back."
Here are some other takeaways from the game:
1. Zucker's impact continues
Zucker has nine points in his last eight games and has a goal in three straight, as his deflection of a Tage Thompson shot at 5:27 of the third got Buffalo within 3-2. It came 26 seconds after Sorokin stopped the penalty shot, denying a backhand off a deke.Zucker also fought Oliver Wahlstrom late in the second period and howled at this bench and the fans on his way down the tunnel to get everyone fired up. He's been a solid acquisition thus far.
Buffalo Sabres left winger Jason Zucker (17) looks to shoot against the New York Islanders during the first period. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
"He had a good night," Ruff said. "He was in a lot more more moments than a lot of other players were."
"He's given us a chance to win every game," said Dylan Cozens. "He's obviously a veteran guy who's been around. He has a lot of experience, so there's a huge voice in this locker room."
Thompson's assist, by the way, gave him a career-high eight-game point streak.
2. Levi has up and down night
Levi made 32 saves in the Buffalo net and several were of the good variety. Some of the goals were not. He was beaten 5-hole on Tsyplakov's goal and was late getting back into the crease on the Pageau tally."It's luck of the draw, it's how the game goes sometimes," Levi said. "You get some bounces, you don't get some and being able to stay even keeled throughout those moments is what you control most of the time. if you do the right thing, the puck will end up bouncing for you."
Levi had not played since giving up six goals Oct. 17 in Columbus, in what was a poor performance. He was much better in this one but still just not good enough.
"I think I did my best to just flush that out one out of my system after the game," he said. "Kind of one of those games that you take something from it and then you park it. I'm not carrying that with me."
3. Cozens breaks through
It took 11 games but Cozens finally scored for the Sabres, taking a nifty back pass from Zucker to open the scoring at 9:03 of the first period and give him his first goal of the season.
Buffalo Sabres Dylan Cozens (24) celebrates his goal with Jason Zucker (17) against the New York Islanders during the first period. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
"Sometimes that's what you need to get it going, just an easy one like that," Cozens said. "And it was a great job by 'Zuck' in front of the net to make it happen."
It was the third straight game the Sabres have scored on the power play but they finished just 1 for 4 in this one, failing to convert a 5-on-3 that lasted 24 seconds or any other chance.
A switch to right wing from center didn't have much impact for Cozens, as his goal was his only shot of the night.
4. In other news ...
• Winger Zach Benson, who has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury, skated fully during an optional morning skate and could return to the lineup sometime next week.Ruff termed it "very encouraging" and said he's hopeful to get Benson back in the lineup next week. And once Benson practices Monday, it can be determined if he can go Tuesday against Ottawa.
"The last couple days have been way better. It's feeling really good now," Benson said. "I'm just excited to be back on the ice."
• Key Sabres prospect Prokhor Poltapov has signed a two-year contract extension with CSKA Moscow, according to the team's website, and the 6-foot left winger is now under contract in the KHL through the 2026-27 season.
Poltapov, 21, was the Sabres' second-round pick in 2021 and was eligible to sign an entry-level contract as soon as this spring. He has seven goals and nine assists in 21 games this year for CKSA Moscow and helped the club win the Gagarin Cup, the KHL's version of the Stanley Cup, in 2023.