East Division Update - February 15th

This game featured two teams going in opposite directions. The Islanders are beginning to heat up and starting to put wins together. However, Buffalo was coming off a covid shutdown of about two weeks, and needed to play better than they were prior to their long break. My analysis below.

(Credit: New York News Times)

ISLANDERS @ SABERS

The Islanders have been known for playing a shutdown type of game, especially under head coach Barry Trotz. The team was on a bit of a role, coming off a big win against the top-seed in the division, the Boston Bruins. They would implement that same strangeling style in this one, and Buffalo struggled to score once again.

- The beginning of the game would showcase each team trading chances, with Buffalo getting off to a better start than expected after being off. The goaltending for New York would remain solid, however, with Simian Varlomov backstopping the Islanders when they needed it most.

- With about four minutes left in the period, the Islanders began to cycle the puck on the Sabers' young defense. Forward Josh Bailey got the puck at the top of the circle, and saw a window to make a play. He ripped a pass down to the net, with captain Anders Lee driving hard, and he tipped a sweet redirect in for the 1-0 lead.

- The Isles wouldn't stop their however, as about two minutes later, forward J.G. Pageau continued his hot streak, and beat Sabers' defenseman Rasmus Dahlin down the wing. He then ripped a shot bar-down, for the 2-0 Islanders lead.

- The Sabers needed something to cling to at this point, as it was starting to become an Islanders control game. The period ended at 2-0 New York, and the Sabers would regroup and come out harder in the second.

- Buffalo would get a power play opportunity to begin the second, and have a fresh sheet of ice to set it up. The Sabers cycled around the puck nicely, and Dahlin slid a pass right in the wheelhouse of Victor Olofsson. He ripped a one timer into the net, and cut the Islanders lead in half. This is exactly what the Sabers needed to get going, and they got a few chances after this goal to get back into the game.

- The Islanders knew they had to pick it up, so they did. Forward Matt Barzal was flying all night in this game, and he took the team on his back on this play. He flew into the zone, stopped up, and passed it to his teammate Oliver Wahlstrom. The winger slid the puck to Josh Bailey, who saw Brock Nelson cutting to the post. He once again found the tape with a hard pass, and the Islanders regained the two goal lead, to go up 3-1. The second ended with not much more action, and the Isles maintaining the 3-1 lead.

- The third period was uneventful for the Sabers, because the Islanders held them to exactly 0 shots through all 20 minutes. This was a miraculous feat, being the first time any Islanders team had ever done that. I know Barry Trotz was smiling from the bench the entire period, as he preaches the defensive side of the game every night. As for the Sabers, they continue to struggle at scoring timely offense, and their defense is too young to compensate for that. Matt Barzal is riding a 9-game point streak, and the team is on a 7-game point streak after the 3-1 in Buffalo tonight.