Anders Lee and Brock Nelson scored 62 seconds apart to fuel a three-goal second period Sunday afternoon for the host New York Islanders, who completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Buffalo Sabres by earning a 5-2 win in Uniondale, N.Y.
Nelson finished with two goals for the Islanders, who also beat the Sabres 5-2 in Uniondale on Thursday night and Saturday afternoon. Casey Cizikas scored later in the second and Cal Clutterbuck added a goal in the third.
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves, as New York won for the seventh time in eight games (7-0-1) and improved to 12-2-2 since Feb. 1.
Jeff Skinner and Colin Miller scored in the third period for the reeling Sabres, who have dropped seven in a row (0-6-1) and are 2-10-1 since returning from a coronavirus pause Feb. 15. Goaltender Jonas Johansson recorded 25 saves.
The Islanders snapped the scoreless tie seconds after a power play expired. Jordan Eberle passed into the crease to Lee, whose shot sailed under the leg of Johansson at the 5:13 mark.
The Islanders doubled the lead following an end-to-end rush. Nelson got free in the slot, took a pass from Nick Leddy and fired a shot past Johansson.
An impressive assist by Jean-Gabriel Pageau set up Cizikas' goal with 3:04 left. Pageau shook Jack Eichel and threaded a pass through the crease and beyond Miller and Rasmus Dahlin to Cizikas, who tucked his shot over Johansson's glove.
Skinner scored his first goal in more than a year 5:41 into the third. He initially missed a chance to put back a shot by Curtis Lazar but controlled the puck, skated around the net and nudged the wraparound under Sorokin's stick arm for his first goal since Feb. 29, 2020.
Miller pulled the Sabres within one by firing a shot under Sorokin's glove at 9:35, but Clutterbuck scored with 7:03 remaining and Nelson added an empty netter with 2:12 left.
--Field Level Media
Buffalo | NY Islanders | |
Colin Miller 1 | Points | Brock Nelson 2 |
Colin Miller 1 | Goals | Brock Nelson 2 |
Jack Eichel 1 | Assists | Noah Dobson 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Jonas Johansson .862 | Save Percentage | Ilya Sorokin .923 |
Jonas Johansson 25 | Saves | Ilya Sorokin 24 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Buffalo | 26 | 2 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 4 | 23 |
NY Islanders | 30 | 5 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2 | 30 |