Islanders beat Buffalo 3-0, complete short sweep of Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 20 shots to earn his first NHL win, and the New York Islanders defeated the Sabres 3-0 to complete a two-game sweep of Buffalo on Tuesday night.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and captain Anders Lee scored in a 7:15 span in the first period, and the Islanders improved to 5-0-3 in their past eight — the team’s longest streak since a 15-0-2 franchise-record run in the opening two months of the 2019-20 season. Lee added an empty-net goal in the final second, and Pageau extended his scoring streak to four games, in which he has five goals.

The 25-year-old Sorokin improved to 1-2-1 in making his first start since a 25-save outing in a 4-3 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Jan. 31.

The Sabres dropped to 1-3-1 in their past five and lost three in a row, with goalie Carter Hutton stopping 21 shots. CAPITALS 3, PENGUINS 1

PITTSBURGH — Conor Sheary and Jakub Vrana scored in the second period, and Washington stopped a four-game slide by topping Pittsburgh.

Lars Eller also scored for Washington, and Vitek Vanecek stopped 26 shots in his 11th straight start.

Pittsburgh won its first five games at home, including three against the Capitals.

Zach Aston-Reese set a career high with his third goal in as many games, and Tristan Jarry made 39 saves for the Penguins.

DEVILS 5, RANGERS 2

NEW YORK — Yegor Sharangovich and Nicholas Merkley scored in the third period and New Jersey sent the Rangers to their fourth straight loss.