Islanders vs. Sabres, Gm 66: What 2 Points Would Mean, Pageau Return?

It’s Wild-Card Frenzy week for the New York Islanders (32-25-8), which kicks off with a Tuesday night matchup against the Buffalo Sabres (32-26-4). Puck drop is slated for 7:30 PM at UBS Arena.

The Buffalo Sabres, who sit four points back of the New York Islanders, lost 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers in regulation on Monday night. The Sabres now only have three games in hand on the Islanders, six potential points, which, if they won all three, would put them just two points ahead of the Islanders.

If the Islanders can win Tuesday night in regulation, that would put significant pressure on the Sabres to win all their games in hand to tie them in points, with the Islanders holding the regulation-overtime win tiebreaker.

READ MORE: Islanders Bo Horvat: From Added Boost to Playoff Savior

The Pittsburgh Penguins are also playing a weak Columbus Blue Jackets team and trail the Islanders by just a point with three games in hand.

More on the wild-card race HERE.

After a full practice on Monday, the Islanders did not hold a morning skate Tuesday. Islanders head coach Lane Lambert will address the media at 5 PM ET.

Ilya Sorokin was the first goaltender off the ice at practice and has been lights out over his last five games, posting a 1.58 GAA with a .948 SV%.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau returned to practice after a nine-game absence, but Lambert did not know if he would be ready to go Tuesday. If he can’t play, Otto Koivula will remain in the lineup for a seventh straight game.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS LINES (PROJECTED)

Anders Lee-Bo Horvat-Pierre Engvall
Zach Parise-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Hudson Fasching
Ross Johnston-Otto Koivula-Josh Bailey

Adam Pelech-Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov-Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho-Noah Dobson

Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov

BUFFALO SABRES LINES (PROJECTED)

Sabres' lineup vs. Oilers:

Skinner-Thompson-Quinn
Mittelstadt-Cozens-Hinostroza
Peterka-Krebs-Olofsson
Greenway-Girgensons-Okposo

Dahlin-Clague
Power-Jokiharju
Bryson-Lyubushkin

Scratched because of injury: Jost, Samuelsson, Stillman.

— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) March 7, 2023

ISLANDERS NOTES

Tonight, the New York Islanders host the Buffalo Sabres in the second of three matchups between the two clubs this season. The last time the Sabres visited the Islanders was December 30, 2021, when Josh Bailey and Noah Dobson each recorded multi-point games in a 4-1 Islander win.

The Islanders enter tonight’s game with a 10-game home win streak against Buffalo, dating back to the 2016-17 campaign.

The Islanders captured points for the tenth time in their last 11 meetings with an Atlantic Division opponent on Saturday, with a 4-1 win over the
Detroit Red Wings and they also have a 6-3-1 record in their last ten home games.

DRAFTKINGS BETTING CORNER

Do you think the New York Islanders will beat the Buffalo Sabres? You can get the Islanders at 165 & +150 on the puck line. The Sabres come in at +140 & 175 on the reverse puck line.

The over for the contest is 6.5 at +100, with the under at -120.

Head over to DraftKings to place your bets now!

HOW TO WATCH

Tuesday’s contest will be available on ESPN+/Hulu. On the radio dial, the game can be heard on 1050 AM ESPN, 88.7 FM WRHU, and 103.9 FM LI News Radio.