Islanders lose 4-3 to Sabres, fail to boost playoff hopes: Takeaways

Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images The New York Islanders missed a big chance to help their playoff hopes when they lost 4-3 to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday night. Despite being outplayed by the Sabres for most of the night, they got even at 2-2 when Anders Lee’s pass from the goal line to the right of Buffalo goalie Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen went off the skate of Sabres defenseman Owen Power and into the net with 6:21 left In regulation.

But the poor defensive coverage that marred Monday’s 8-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins burned them again when Alex Tuch carried down the left side, circled the net and found a wide-open Peyton Krebs. With a couple of Isles watching, Krebs snapped a shot past Ilya Sorokin with 3:01 left to put Buffalo ahead 3-2. “I think Bo (Horvat) or (Matthew) Schafer could have stayed in front of the net and protected there,” coach Patrick Roy said.

Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Bowen Byram’s empty-netter with 1:42 left turned out to be the game-winner when Brayden Schenn scored with two seconds remaining. Despite the loss, the Islanders remained third in the Metropolitan Division because only one of the teams they’re jockeying with for a playoff berth won its game.

The Penguins moved three points ahead of the Islanders by defeating the reeling Detroit Red Wings 5-1. But the Columbus Blue Jackets, who could have passed them with a win, lost 5-2 at home to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators, who are also battling to overtake the Islanders in the playoff race, all lost as well.