Game preview: New York Islanders look to find missing scoring as Buffalo Sabres

The New York Islanders will look to find their missing scoring touch against their cross-state rivals the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night at the KeyBank Center.

The Islanders have been plagued by a phantom offense that has yet to truly hit its stride. Meanwhile, it’s been an up-and-down season for the Sabres. As such, both teams will be looking to gain momentum as they look to grab a foothold in their respective divisions.

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LAST GAME

The 3-5-2 Isles are coming off another frustrating game last Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The New York Islanders could not find the back of the net, dropping the game 2-0. The loss marked yet another shutout against the Isles. While the Islanders played well overall and Semyon Varlamov was fantastic, the offense just couldn’t get the job done.

As for the Sabres, they ran into the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The Cats handed the Sabres their fifth loss of the year 5-2. The Sabres have shown a significant improvement this year, playing much more consistently than previous seasons. However, Buffalo hasn’t been able to get much going, leading to the sub-500 mark.

HISTORICAL MATCHUP

Friday night’s tilt marks the first time these two clubs meet this season. Last year, the Isles and Sabres locked horns three times, with the Sabres taking two of three. The Isles won the first game 3-2 on October 14, 2023. Then, the Sabres won the next two games, 3-1 on October 21. The two teams did not meet until March 14, 2024. The Sabres took that contest 4-0 at the KeyBank Center.

It’s worth pointing out that the Sabres lead the all-time series against the Islanders with a 90-75-18-7 mark. The Sabres won the first-ever meeting between these two teams 9-2 on November 26, 1972.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

For the Islanders, Alexander Romanov will be a welcome sight. Romanov has been sidelined with an upper-body injury but is expected to be back in the fold against the Sabres, according to Andrew Gross. Also, Matt Martin could draw into the lineup in place of Pierre Engvall who figures to be a healthy scratch. Lastly, Ilya Sorokin should start between the pipes for the Isles.

For the Sabres, the players to watch at Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens. These two young forwards are the Sabres’ most talented goal scorers. They should make things tough for the Islanders’ defense. Also, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonnen should get the start. Luukkonnen signed a major offseason extension and will be looking to deliver on it.