NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Tucker netted two goals and Alex Ryan made 26 saves as the Sabers blanked the New York Islanders 5-0 on Saturday, matching Buffalo’s franchise record with a ninth consecutive victory. Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Alex Tuch also found the back of the net, helping Buffalo secure their third consecutive win for the fifth time in their last seven outings. Ryan McLeod and Mattias Samuelsson each contributed two assists.
Ryan, who joined the Sabers in July after two seasons in Detroit, earned his sixth career shutout and tied Jerry Desjardins’ 1976-77 record for nine straight wins in Buffalo. The Sabers have now improved to an 18-3-1 record over their past 22 games.
David Rittich, making his first start since January 17th, stopped 16 shots for the Islanders, who were playing their first home game following a seven-game road trip where they posted a 3-3-1 record. Rittich entered the contest with a 4-2-2 record and averaging 2.46 points per game against Buffalo. This season, the Islanders have now fallen to 11 wins, 7 losses, and 3 draws.
Zucker opened the scoring just 33 seconds into the second period with a wrist shot off a rebound from Jack Quinn. Thompson extended the lead to two with a goal at 19:47 of the second, sliding the puck past a sprawling Rittich. Zucker added his second tally 25 seconds into the third period, pushing the lead to 3-0. Dahlin scored into an empty net at 14:02 of the final frame, and Tuch capped the scoring shortly after when Rittich deflected a Samuelsson shot into his own net.
Bo Horvat returned to the Islanders lineup after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.
Next up for the Sabers is a visit to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, while the Islanders will face the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Fan Take:
Buffalo’s impressive winning streak and dominant performance highlight their emergence as a true contender this season, signaling that the Sabers are a team to watch. For hockey fans, this kind of consistent excellence not only fuels excitement but also shakes up the competition, promising a thrilling race down the stretch.
