Archives for April 5, 2015

‘The Arizona Coyotes moved four points ahead of Buffalo with a 5-3 win late Saturday night over San Jose. Arizona and Buffalo both have three games left and the Sabres would clinch 30th with a regulation loss in their next game, Monday against Carolina in First Niagara Center.’

‘“It’s all in good fun,” he said. “The Leafs fans are some of the most passionate fans in the world. They’re obviously not enjoying the experience of all the losing. But if there is some benefit to the losing, they are going to get a very, very good player and whether that’s whoever, it doesn’t matter. The draft is so deep this year. So I’m sure Leaf fans are going to be pretty excited.”’

‘Going back through the last five full seasons, at least 75 percent of the playoff teams had been decided by New Year’s Day. Fourteen of the 16 teams remain unchanged in 2009 and 2010, 13 of 16 stayed locked in during 2012, and 12 of 16 held their positions in 2011 and 2014.’

Islanders keep pace in playoff race with 3-0 win over Sabres (New York Daily News)
Isles on verge of clinching playoffs after Coliseum rout (New York Post)
Islanders closer to playoff berth with win over Sabres (Newsday)
Cherished Islanders celebrate their history in Coliseum event (Newsday)
All in the family for Islanders’ Ryan Strome (Newsday)
Islanders’ Mikhail Grabovski uncertain of return (Newsday)
Photo gallery (Newsday)
Islanders 3, Sabres 0 (NewYorkIslanders.com)
Photo gallery (NewYorkIslanders.com)
Photo gallery (Sabres.com)

‘But in a season that just seems to keep ratcheting up the bizarre meter, Buffalo saw a one-goal lead flip into a one-goal loss in only 47 seconds.’

‘”I thought he played very well for his first game. He can be very proud of his first experience. He acted like a very mature young man,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said of his goaltender.’

‘Buffalo lost a second straight game despite getting 33 saves from Andrey Makarov in his NHL debut.’

‘The Sabres (22-39-8) lost for the 14th time in their last 17 games (3-11-3) to ensure they’d remain at least two points ahead of the Arizona Coyotes in the “race” for last place in the NHL and a guaranteed top-two spot in the draft.’

‘Kyle Okposo’s power play goal gave the Isles the early 1-0 lead. Okposo’s shot deflected off Brian Gionta and into the Buffalo net for the 1-0 lead. Makarov kept it that way heading into the third. The Sabres netminder played well in his first action as a starter, even as New York continued to pepper him with shots, coming up with several big stops and 20 saves through the first two periods.’

‘”I thought he made some really nice saves,” Bogosian added. “It’s never easy. The Islanders are a good team, they’re fast, they throw a lot of pucks on net. I thought he played really well for us.”‘