Islanders win fifth straight
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Anders Lee and Brock Nelson scored 62 seconds apart early in the second period and rookie Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves as the New York Islanders defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.
The victory was the Islanders’ sixth straight over the Sabres this season.
After a scoreless first period, Lee netted his teamleading 12th goal of the season at 5:13 just after an Islanders power play expired. Lee scored from in front of Sabres netminder Jonas Johansson with assists to Jordan Eberle and Noah Dobson. Lee has six goals in the six games against the Sabres this season and has eight goals in his past 12 games overall.
“We did a really good job of sticking with our plan and playing with a lead,” Lee said. ”We really wanted to limit their chances. Just a good team effort.”
Nelson quickly made it 2-0 at 6:15, rifling the puck past Johansson, who also lost 5-2 to the Islanders on Thursday. Oliver Wahlstrom and Nick Leddy assisted.
Casey Cizikas increased the lead to 3-0 at 16:56 with his fourth goal. Assists went to Jean-Gabriel Pageau (200th career point) and defenseman Adam Pelech.
“They were playing hard and we capitalized on our chances,” Cizikas said. “We bent, but we didn’t break.”
Sorokin, the 25-year-old netminder, earned his fourth win of the season as the Islanders improved to 10-0-2 at Nassau Coliseum. The Islanders are the only team in the league without a regulation loss at home.
“We get each other going,” Cizikas added. “We want to make it hard and make other teams know they’re in for a dogfight in our building.”
Jeff Skinner’s goal at 5:41 of the third period ruined Sorokin’s shutout bid.
It was Skinner’s first goal this season and first since last Feb. 29. Skinner, who scored 40 times for Buffalo two seasons ago, is in the second year of an eight-year, $72 million contract. He was benched by Sabres coach Ralph Krueger for three games late last month.
PENGUINS 5, RANGERS 1
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby capped Pittsburgh’s three-goal outburst in the first period, and the Penguins beat the New York Rangers 5-1 Sunday night.
Crosby scored his eighth of the season, Kasperi Kapanen netted his sixth and John Marino his first as Pittsburgh scored three goals on six shots in the opening period.
Evgeni Malkin and Zach Aston-Reese scored in the third period as the Penguins won for the ninth time in 13 games. Casey DeSmith made 22 saves in his second start since Feb. 11.
Pittsburgh, which recently took two of three from Philadelphia in the highly competitive East Division, have eight wins and points in 11 of their last 12 games against the Rangers.
Mika Zibanejad scored his third of the season for the Rangers, who had their season-best three-game winning streak halted.
Alexandar Georgiev started the game in net for the Rangers, but was pulled after allowing three goals on six shots. Keith Kinkaid made 16 saves in his first NHL action since Nov. 30, 2019. Igor Shesterkin remains day-to-day with a groin injury.
DEVILS 1, BRUINS 0
BOSTON — Scott Wedgewood made 40 saves, Kyle Palmieri scored out of a scramble with 4:37 left and the New Jersey Devils snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over the Boston Bruins.
Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask made 24 saves and remained stuck at 299 career victories. The Bruins have lost four of six games.
All four games between the teams have been decided by one goal, including one in overtime and another by a shootout.
Palmieri scored about two minutes after Wedgewood robbed Craig Smith’s bid at the end of a Bruins’ power play. Wedgewood came out to cut down the angle on Smith’s shot from the right circle.
Boston pulled Rask and had the puck in the Devils’ zone for nearly all of the final 90 seconds, but Wedgewood blocked several good chances to preserve his fourth career shutout.