New York @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2018 ) Buffalo 5, NY Islanders 4

The New York Islanders vie for their fourth straight win overall and sixth in seven road games when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. New York posted an impressive 4-0 victory in Toronto on Saturday as Robin Lehner made 36 saves while reigning Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal registered a natural hat trick in the second period.

Lehner, who has won four consecutive decisions, could make his second straight start as the Islanders take on the team with which he spent the previous three seasons. The Sabres continue their three-game homestand after beginning it with their fourth defeat in five overall contests (1-3-1), a 3-2 overtime setback against Boston on Saturday in which they squandered a lead late in the third period. Defenseman Marco Scandella scored one goal and set up the other for Buffalo, which had won three of its previous four at KeyBank Center. Sam Reinhart landed on the scoresheet for the 14th time in 15 games (five goals, 17 assists) on Saturday with his 30th assist of the season, matching the career high he set in 2016-17.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), MSG Buffalo

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (20-13-4): Michael Dal Colle, who was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League prior to Saturday's contest after Jordan Eberle (upper body) was placed on injured reserve, notched an assist for his first career point. It was the third game of the season and seventh in the NHL for the 22-year-old left wing, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft. At 21 years and 217 days old, Barzal became the third-youngest player in franchise history (John Tavares - 20 years, 117 days; Bob Nystrom - 21, 113) to record a natural hat trick.

ABOUT THE SABRES (21-12-6): Johan Larsson's goal on Saturday was Buffalo's first short-handed tally of the season, leaving Florida as the only team without one. It was the fourth goal of the campaign for the 26-year-old Swede - three of which have come in his last nine games. Jason Pominville returned to the lineup Saturday after missing three contests with an undisclosed ailment while defenseman Nathan Beaulieu played for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on Dec. 15 at Washington.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders have won four of their last five contests in Buffalo on New Year's Eve.

2. Sabres F Vladimir Sobotka's next game will be his 500th in the NHL.

3. New York's Barry Trotz will pass former Islander Al Arbour (782) for fourth place on the all-time coaching victories list with his next triumph.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Islanders 3