Victor Olofsson, Dylan Cozens and Zach Benson scored within a five-minute span in the second period Thursday night for the Buffalo Sabres, who inched closer to an Eastern Conference wild-card spot by blanking the New York Islanders, 4-0.
The 18-year-old Benson capped his first multi-goal game by adding an empty-netter late in the third for the Sabres, who haven’t made the playoffs in an NHL-record 12 consecutive seasons but closed within three points of the Islanders and Detroit Red Wings in the race for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped all 21 shots he faced for the Sabres, who tied a season-high by winning their third straight game.
Ilya Sorokin recorded 33 saves for the Islanders, who have been blanked in consecutive losses after a season-high six-game winning streak.
The Sabres outshot the Islanders 13-5 in a scoreless first before quickly taking control in the second.
Anders Lee was whistled for interference to set up Olofsson’s goal just 19 seconds into the power play. JJ Peterka passed from the top of the left faceoff circle to Olofsson, whose shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle glanced off Sorokin’s glove and into the net at the 4:28 mark.
Jeff Skinner stole the puck from Islanders center Kyle Palmieri along the boards in the New York zone to begin the sequence that ended with Cozens burying the rebound of Connor Clifton’s shot just 3:47 later.
Benson concluded the outburst with 10:19 remaining. He redirected a shot by Henri Jokiharju that fluttered past Sorokin as he was screened by teammate Alexander Romanov and Sabres left winger Jordan Greenway jostling for position in front of him.
Sorokin was pulled with under seven minutes left in the third and Benson ended any hopes of an Islanders comeback by scoring with 4:54 left.
–Field Level Media