Sabres 4, Islanders 3 (SO)
Tyler Ennis scored in the second round of the shootout and Jhonas Enroth denied all three attempts he faced as host Buffalo overcame a three-goal deficit in the third period to snap its four-game losing streak (0-3-1).
Ennis skated in and used a head fake before wristing a shot inside the left post to net the only goal of the bonus format. Frans Nielsen's bid to answer caromed off the crossbar and Enroth (33 saves) preserved the win by making a right pad save on Islanders captain John Tavares in the third round, handing New York its first shootout loss of the season.
Nicolas Deslauriers collected a goal and an assist while Zemgus Girgensons and Chris Stewart scored 1:50 apart midway into the third period for the Sabres. Deslauriers tallied 6:39 into the third, Girgensons settled his stretch pass and beat Kevin Poulin inside the left post while short-handed at 10:01 and Stewart drove to the net before tucking the puck between the goaltender's pads 1:50 later to forge a 3-3 tie.
Tavares recorded his second two-goal performance of the season and defenseman Nick Leddy scored for the first time in 16 games for the Islanders, who have dropped two in a row following a four-game winning streak. With Jaroslav Halak (lower body) being placed on injured reserve earlier on Saturday, Poulin was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League and made 23 saves in his first appearance with New York since Jan. 27.
After Leddy's slap shot from the point beat Enroth 4:33 into the contest to open the scoring, Tavares tallied twice in a span of just over three minutes in the second period to stake New York to a 3-0 lead. The captain split Buffalo defensemen Mike Weber and Josh Gorges and lifted a backhand shot under the crossbar at 11:56 before converting Josh Bailey's feed at 15:05 for his team-leading 15th goal.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Deslauriers has recorded two goals and two assists during his three-game point streak. ... Bailey and Islanders RW Kyle Okposo each notched a pair of assists. ... Prior to the game, Buffalo recalled C Mikhail Grigorenko from Rochester of the AHL. ... Sabres D Rasmus Ristolainen exited the contest in the second period with an undisclosed injury and did not return.