Buffalo @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 2, 2019 ) NY Islanders 1, Buffalo 0

The New York Islanders have feasted on teams from the Atlantic Division this season, continuing their dominance with an impressive sweep of Tampa Bay and Florida to cap a three-game road trip. The Islanders have beat up Atlantic foes to the tune of a 10-1-0 mark and face another team from the division when the Buffalo Sabres visit on Saturday afternoon.

New York will play four of the next five at home and has built some momentum after a strong finish to a 10-game stretch in which it played eight road games. "We're looking forward to getting home," captain Anders Lee said after Thursday's 3-1 win at Florida. "We did a pretty good job of taking care of business when we needed to and turning this trip around and having a good response after a big trip out west." Saturday's matchup is the opener of a three-game road trip for red-hot Jack Eichel and the resurgent Sabres, who will be seeking a season-high fourth consecutive victory. Eichel has a chance to establish the longest point streak in the NHL this season for Buffalo, which has scored nine times in wins over St. Louis and Buffalo but faces an Islanders squad that has yielded a league-low 70 goals.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-Buffalo, MSG-Plus (New York)

ABOUT THE SABRES (16-11-6): Eichel not only has matched Patrick Kane's league-best 15-game point streak, but he moved into second place with 22 goals after scoring twice more in Thursday's 4-3 win. "I've gotten some good bounces ... I'm the beneficiary of a lot of really good hockey plays out there and just trying to keep it going," Eichel said. Obviously, you find confidence when you go through a streak like this and it's no different for me." Eichel has 14 goals during the point streak but only two in 13 meetings with New York.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (21-7-2): New York alternates goaltenders in every game this season so up next will be Semyon Varlamov, who turned aside all 27 shots in a 1-0 victory at Buffalo on Nov. 2. The Islanders collected three goals on the power play while snuffing out six man-advantage situations and scoring short-handed over the past two games. "It's a big momentum swing when you can kill a penalty and on the other side of the puck, power play wise we've been moving it really well and feeling really good," Devon Toews said.

OVERTIME

1. Sabres D Zach Bogosian told reporters he wants to keep things "in house" regarding his reported trade request.

2. The Islanders are 19-0-1 when scoring three or more goals and have won seven in a row at Nassau Coliseum.

3. Sabres F Victor Olofsson has nine points in the last six games to take over the lead among rookies with 29.

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Sabres 2