The New York Islanders picked up their ninth straight win yesterday, improving to 10-3 this season as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 last night. Here’s the game recap.

I’ll start by saying there’s not a ton to recap. The Islanders opened (and closed) the scoring about five minutes into the first period, as Derick Brassard just threw a shot at the net from behind the goal line that banked off Carter Hutton and in. It was really ugly but with it, Brassard extended his goal streak to five games. It was all goaltending after that.

Brock Nelson had the best chance of the first period when he caught a puck in mid-air and controlled it, going in on a partial breakaway before being stopped by Hutton. That was about it in what was a really slow first period. A lot of ‘cross the line and shoot’ type of plays that neither goalie had any trouble with.

Brandon Montour was inches from tying the game in the first couple minutes of the second period, when he let a shot go from the point which Varlamov didn’t see and it rang off the crossbar. Cole Bardreau then got a chance going the other way, when he picked the puck off Colin Miller and rushed down on a breakaway, before being stopped by Hutton on a deke to the backhand.

In the third period, the Sabres hit another post on a power play, when Colin Miller rang one off the crossbar a few minutes into the period. Then the Islanders just about extended the lead, when Anthony Beauvillier turned and floated a backhand shot on net that dinged the post as well. It didn’t matter though, as the Islanders hung on for the 1-0 win.

In a game where just one goal was scored and both goalies were strong, it’s funny that the game-winner was one that never should have found its way in.

Varlamov was great, especially when New York was killing penalties. The Sabres were able to sustain a ton of pressure on their power play to start the third period but Varlamov was perfect.

So there it is– nine straight!


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