Waching daily Dec 29 2017

Islanders defeat Sabres in overtime after tying goal reviewed

NEW YORK -- Mathew Barzal scored 1:08 into overtime to give the New York Islanders a 3-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Barclays Center on Wednesday.

Islanders forward Josh Bailey tied the game with 1:09 remaining in the third period when his shot from the right face-off circle appeared to have been saved by Robin Lehner, but play was stopped with 34.

3 seconds remaining for video review, which determined the puck did cross the goal line to make it 2-2.

I knew it had a chance, Bailey said.

I wasnt quite sure; from my angle, I could see his glove snap back a little bit.

Obviously I would have rather seen it hit the mesh the first go-around.

Your heart breaks pretty quick in those situations, but all in all, obviously it worked out..

The goal extended Baileys point streak to nine games.

He and John Tavares assisted on Barzals goal; Tavares has an eight-game point streak.

Correct me if Im wrong, but when that horn goes, that means [the NHL in] Toronto is saying thats a goal, Islanders coach Doug Weight said of Baileys goal.

They dont want injuries, they want to stop the game as soon as possible.

We dumped it in and got the puck back.

I would have had a real problem with blowing the horn and saying inconclusive, and now we have a 50-50 puck and a face-off.

I thought right when I heard the horn that it was a goal.

Barzal scored his first NHL overtime goal when he beat Lehner with a wrist shot from the slot for his 13th goal of the season and second game-winner in a row.

He had his first NHL hat trick in a 5-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec.

23.

Jason Chimera scored for the Islanders (20-13-4), and Jaroslav Halak made 35 saves.

New York trails the Washington Capitals by two points for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

We need to keep getting points, keep climbing the ladder, Halak said.

Were trying to separate ourselves..

Kyle Okposo, who played for the Islanders from 2008-16, gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead at 11:33 of the third period when he fought off Andrew Ladd for a rebound for his sixth goal of the season.

Its a tough break.

I thought we played a pretty good hockey game, Okposo said.

With the exception of the first six, seven minutes of the game, I thought we outplayed them.

We had our chances.

We just played a pretty simple game and moved our feet.

Its a tough outcome..

Chimera gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 3:41 of the second period.

Cal Clutterbuck took a wrist shot from the left face-off circle that Lehner saved, and Chimera scored on the rebound.

Zemgus Girgensons tied it 1-1 at 9:43 of the second when he poked Jack Eichels feed from behind the net.

Eichel has nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past five games.

Lehner made 31 saves for Buffalo (9-20-8).

I felt like I had a really good game and I blew it on the last goal there, Lehner said.

I kind of got caught, and its just something I want back..

They said it.

I thought we played a real strong third period.

You could see it in the shots, some really good opportunities for us.

Its unfortunate that they get that guy on the backside and Robin tries to make a save.

After we looked at it a couple of times, I didnt believe it was in.

But seeing it from a different angle, it was definitely in. -- Sabres coach Phil Housley.

I think weve been fortunate, weve got some pretty electric offense at times and we feel like we can scratch and claw to get back in games, but we dont scratch and claw, we try and dangle through the blue line.

We gave up three or four 2-on-1s, everything was a little too cutesy.

But for 40 minutes we played a really good game.

Obviously, a big play from Johnny to [Bailey].

It was a nice horn to hear. -- Islanders coach Doug Weight.

Need to know.

Girgensons has scored in back-to-back games after going 25 games without a goal.

… The Sabres were 0-for-4 on the power play and are 0-for-12 in their past six games.

… Bailey has the longest active point streak in the NHL (17 points; six goals, 11 assists).

Tavares has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in his streak.

… Chimeras goal was his second in 37 games this season.

… The Islanders went 3-1-1 on a five-game homestand.

Whats next.

Sabres: At the New Jersey Devils on Friday (7 p.m.

ET; MSG+, MSG-B, NHL.TV).

Islanders: At the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (8 p.m.

ET; TSN3, MSG+ 2, NHL.TV).