Islanders Gameday News: Sabres visit to close out a November to forget

2 weeks ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

J-G is a doubt. | Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images


The Islanders face one of the few teams they’ve beaten this month. The New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres wrap up a busy post-Thanksgiving back-to-back by facing each other on Long Island after both lost games Friday in overtime.
The Sabres erased a two-goal Canucks lead in the third period to force overtime, while the Islanders did the opposite — continuing their form of blowing third-period leads because that’s fun.
Tage Thompson has returned for the Sabres, so the Islanders can’t count on that lineup bonus. They’re of course still without Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair and Adam Pelech — and J-G Pageau is a doubt after missing yesterday’s game in D.C. And Scott Mayfield is too, after taking a deflected puck to the face and leaving the game.
The Islanders are closing out an ugly month, where they’ve won five times in 14 games but were in position to win several more, if only they could hold a third period lead, or score on the power play, or both.
Leave First Islanders Goal picks here, for those who celebrate.
Islanders News

Previewing tonight, a 7:30 start. [Isles]
Yesterday’s loss: copy + paste, copy + paste, copy + paste. [Newsday | LHH | Post]
Takeaways: “Same story,” said Matt Martin, who is all of us, and equally powerless to change it. [Isles]
Patrick Roy ripped the power play. Wonder if there’s anyone who can do something about that? [THN]
Two positives, if you’re the looking-for-a-positive type. [THN]

Elsewhere
Yesterday’s NHL scores included a whole bunch of ‘em, including the Flyers sending the Rangers to another loss. The Devils also won over the Red Wings, because only the Islanders can’t beat the Red Wings.

Nikita Zadorov and Evgeni Malkin were eached fined $5,000 for antics from the Bruins bench. I’m probably just projecting, but do you ever get the sense that lots of Russian players don’t like Malkin? (Asked about any prior history, Zadorov said “Yeah, we’re old friends.” and left it at that.) [Sportsnet]
Steven Stamkos is having a rough time thus far in Nashville. [Sportsnet]
In a good old-fashioned swap, the Predators and Avalanche traded backup goalies. [TSN | NHL]
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