Ristolainen's goal gives Sabres win over Islanders
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Rasmus Ristolainen scored 42 seconds into overtime to lift the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Friday night.
The game-winner came on an odd-man rush in the extra session. Right winger Kyle Okposo made a hard cut inside the left circle before finding Ristolainen, the trailer, in the slot. Ristolainen unleashed a hard wrist shot to the glove side to give Buffalo the victory.
Johan Larsson and Matt Moulson also scored for the Sabres (12-11-6). Robin Lehner made 33 saves.
Ryan Strome and Alan Quine scored for the Islanders (11-13-6), who have lost four games in a row. Jean-Francois Berube made 34 saves in his first start of the season.
Strome opened the scoring with 6:52 remaining in the first period off a quick wrist shot from the slot. After Islanders right winger Cal Clutterbuck worked his way into the zone and around Sabres winger Evander Kane, Strome grabbed the puck and picked up his fourth goal of the year.
After the Sabres were outshot 16-7 in the first period, Larsson evened the score 2:32 into the second when he redirected Ristolainen's shot from the point for his fifth goal of the year.
Quine made it 2-1 four minutes later on a power play. With both teams scrambling for a loose puck at the top of the crease, center Shane Prince fed Quine for an easy finish and his second goal of the year at 6:39.
Moulson evened the score with a power-play goal of his own 3:09 into the third. After the Islanders were unable to corral the puck following a series of Sabres shots, Moulson deposited the rebound for his eighth goal of the year.
The Sabres avoided a major scare midway through the third period after Jack Eichel was sent head-first into the boards by Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk. Eichel briefly left the game to be evaluated but did return. Boychuk received a two-minute minor for boarding.
NOTES: D Zach Bogosian (knee) and C Derek Grant were scratched for the Sabres. Bogosian is getting closer to returning from a knee sprain that has kept him out for 20 games. ... D Taylor Fedun is also closer to returning for Buffalo. He was retroactively placed on injured reserve on Dec. 13 (with the IR going back to Dec. 3). ... C Casey Cizikas (upper body) and G Thomas Greiss were scratched for the Islanders. Cizikas was injured in Thursday night's 5-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. ... This was the first of three meetings between the two teams this season. Their next meeting takes place on Friday, Dec. 23 in New York.