The Buffalo Sabres beat the New York Islanders 4-3 at KeyBank Center on Apr. 1, with Peyton Krebs scoring the go-ahead goal late in the third period.
The win marks an important milestone for the Sabres, who became only the eleventh team in National Hockey League history to reach 2,000 wins and recorded their first 100-point season since 2009-10. The team also moved back into first place in the Atlantic Division with a two-point lead after Tampa Bay’s loss to Montreal.
Krebs’ goal came with just over three minutes left in regulation, shortly after the Islanders had tied the game. Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn each contributed a power-play goal and an assist. Thompson’s tally was his thirty-eighth of the season and ties him with Alexander Mogilny for twelfth all-time in franchise goals scored.
Bowen Byram added an empty-net goal as Buffalo improved its record to twenty-three wins and two losses when leading after one period this season. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made twenty-five saves, including a glove stop on Anders Lee’s penalty shot during the second period.
Josh Norris briefly left after taking a hit from Lee but returned for the third period. Sam Carrick fought Lee at puck drop to start that frame but suffered an injury and did not return.
The Sabres have earned at least one point in twenty-three of their last twenty-seven games, going twenty wins, four losses, and three overtime or shootout losses during that span. The team begins a two-game road trip Thursday against Ottawa.
