Rookie Victor Olofsson scores the lone goal for Buffalo.
By Brian Compton / NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The New York Islanders clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday.
New York (46-26-7), which has won four of its past five games, leads the Pittsburgh Penguins by four points for second place in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the Washington Capitals. Anthony Beauvillier scored twice, and Robin Lehner made 31 saves.
It will be the Islanders’ first playoff appearance since 2016.
Victor Olofsson scored his first NHL goal, and Carter Hutton made 33 saves for Buffalo (31-37-10), which has lost 6 in a row (0-5-1) and 13 of its past 14 games (1-11-2). The Sabres have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Jordan Eberle gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 7:41 of the first period when he put Mathew Barzal’s rebound past Hutton for his fourth goal in the past four games.
Hutton kept it a one-goal game by saving Beauvillier’s penalty shot at 12:23 of the first period after he was taken down on a breakaway by Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour.
But Beauvillier made it 2-0 at 8:20 of the second period. Devon Toews carried the puck into the Sabres zone from center ice and fed Beauvillier, who scored on a wrist shot from the high slot for his first goal since March 7 (12 games).
Michael Dal Colle extended the lead to 3-0 with 34 seconds left in the second period when he stuffed a rebound between Hutton’s pads after he made the initial save on Adam Pelech’s shot from the left point.
Ryan Pulock scored from the right circle 30 seconds into the third period to make it 4-0, and Beauvillier finished off a passing play with Josh Bailey and Leo Komarov at 6:07 to give New York a 5-0 lead.
Olofsson ended Lehner’s shutout bid on a power play at 13:28 for the 5-1 final.
Up next
The Sabres return home for a 6 pm match-up Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.