Sabres at Islanders
Although the New York Islanders occupy the cellar of the Eastern Conference, Anders Lee's spirited play has the 26-year-old forward moving on up after a sluggish start to the season. With 11 goals in his last 14 games after mustering just one in his previous 18, Lee looks to continue his hot hand on Friday as the Islanders welcome former teammate Kyle Okposo and the Buffalo Sabres to the Barclays Center.
"Things are going right, right now," Lee told Newsday on the heels of collecting two goals and an assist as the Islanders snapped a five-game winless skid (0-4-1) with Tuesday's 4-2 triumph over Boston. "I've been getting the bounces, I've been in the right places at the right times, recently. I've found my way a little bit and when we combine that with wins, it really is a lot of fun." Buffalo hasn't had much fun of late with losses in three straight (0-1-2) following a 3-2 overtime victory over the Islanders last Friday. Johan Larsson scored in that contest and also tallied in a 3-1 setback to Carolina on Thursday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-B (Buffalo), MSG-Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE SABRES (12-12-8): Selected by New York with the seventh overall pick of the 2006 draft, Okposo has been held off the scoresheet in the last three games since notching an assist versus the Islanders to increase his point total to five in the previous three tilts. Goaltender Anders Nilsson, who was drafted by New York in the third round three years later, is expected to get the nod and looks for a better showing than his last one versus the Islanders. The 26-year-old Swede yielded three goals on 10 shots and exited midway into the first period in that contest.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (12-14-6): Captain John Tavares declared himself good to go after completing Thursday's practice without issue on the heels of appearing to injure his hand or wrist in the late stages of the Bruins' game. Tavares has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games and is without a tally in his last five following a three-game goal-scoring streak. Tavares was kept in check in last week's 3-2 overtime loss to Buffalo, but recorded 22 points (11 goals, 11 assist) in the previous 21 encounters.
OVERTIME
1. New York G Thomas Greiss, who set a career high with 48 saves on Tuesday, stopped 42 of 43 shots to win his last meeting with Buffalo.
2. Sabres LW Marcus Foligno will play in his 300th NHL game on Friday while coach Dan Bylsma is vying for his 300th NHL regular-season victory.
3. The Islanders have scored the first goal in 11 of their last 13 contests while Buffalo has surrendered the initial tally in each of its last five games.