Buffalo Sabres - NY Islanders Game Preview
3/31/26 - 7:00pm at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY
Buffalo – 45-21-8 | - 98 points – 2nd place in the Atlantic Division
NY Islanders – 42-28-5 | - 89 points – 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 20.9% (16th)
Penalty Kill – 82.0% (4th)
NY Islanders
Power Play – 16.7% (30th)
Penalty Kill - 81.6% (6th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 74 GP, 37 G, 39 A, 76 PTS
Rasmus Dahlin: 70 GP, 17 G, 50 A, 67 PTS
Alex Tuch: 71 GP, 29 G, 30 A, 59 PTS
NY Islanders
Mathew Barzal: 74 GP, 19 G, 48 A, 67 PTS
Matthew Schaefer: 75 GP, 22 G, 34 A, 56 PTS
Bo Horvat: 61 GP, 30 G, 22 A, 52 PTS
Starting Goalies(projected)
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (18-8-3, 2.53 GAA, .911 Sv %)
NY Islanders – David Rittich (14-9-3, 2.78 GAA, .894 Sv %)
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Line Combinations and Pairings (projected)
Forwards
Zach Benson - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Noah Ostlund - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Peyton Krebs - Sam Carrick - Beck Malenstyn
Ex. Tyson Kozak, Tanner Pearson, Josh Dunne, Jordan Greenway
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Bowen Byram
Logan Stanley - Conor Timmins
Ex. Luke Schenn, Michael Kesselring, Zach Metsa
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis
Injuries
Justin Danforth (lower body, Oct. 18; injured reserve)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot, Nov. 4; injured reserve - out for the season)
Notes
The Sabres sit at 1,999 wins all-time, one win away from becoming the 11th team in NHL history to reach 2,000.
With a win tonight, the Sabres would reach 100 points in a season for the 10th time in franchise history. The Sabres have earned at least one point in 22 of their last 26 contests (19-4-3), including a league-best 13 wins and 28 points since the Olympic Break. Since Dec. 9, the Sabres rank first among all NHL teams in wins (34) and points (72). Buffalo’s 29 regulation wins in that span also lead the league, Tampa Bay’s 24 regulation wins rank second. Buffalo has not lost consecutive games in regulation since the team fell in three straight from Dec. 3 at Philadelphia to Dec. 8 at Calgary.
Tage Thompson has tallied 53 points (24+29) in 45 games since Dec. 9 and his 22 even-strength goals in that span are tied for second among all NHL skaters. Thompson needs eight more goals to pass Jason Pominville (217 goals with Buffalo) and gain sole possession of 10th place on Buffalo’s all-time goal-scoring list.
Rasmus Dahlin has recorded 38 points (13+25) in his last 31 games,
including 19 points (6+13) in his last 15 contests. Dahlin has seven points (4+3) in his last six games and he has recorded a goal in back-to-back games. A goal tonight would mark his first goal streak of three or more games this season, and his first since Nov. 11 to 16, 2024 (three games; 3+2).
Zach Benson has eight points (3+5) in his last seven games.
Peyton Krebs has posted a point in two consecutive games (1+1) and a point tonight would mark his fourth point streak of three or more games this season.
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