Alex Lyon, hot Sabres beat Islanders to extend season-long win streak

BUFFALO – If Colten Ellis hadn’t suffered a concussion and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made a few more saves, then Sabres goalie Alex Lyon might still be waiting for his next opportunity.

But Ellis took a hit in the crease and Luukkonen struggled, so the Sabres turned to Lyon again last week, a move that has ignited their season.

Contributions up and down the lineup have buoyed the Sabres throughout to a five-game win streak, none bigger the journeyman’s netminding.

Lyon dazzled again in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 shootout win over the New York Islanders, making 32 saves, including five in overtime, to extend the Sabres’ season-long streak.

Emil Heineman’s game tying six-on-four power-play goal with 28.3 seconds left in the third period could’ve deflated Lyon and the Sabres, who outplayed the Islanders before a capacity crowd of 19,070 fans in KeyBank Center

Instead, Lyon, who looked sharp in regulation, saved some of his best for overtime and the shootout.

“I think that’s just mental toughness on his part,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of Lyon. “Be a little frustrated, play a game like that, and all of a sudden, you end up with a goal. We end up trying to kill a penalty, and our kills have been so good. But I think he shook it off and he said, ‘We’re not going to be beaten.’”

Lyon stopped Mat Barzal on a breakaway in overtime and four of the Islanders’ five shooters, as Barzal got him back. Sabres center Josh Norris scored in the top of the fifth round to put the Sabres up before Lyon stymied Calum Ritchie to secure the win.

“It’s one of those things that I try to not really think about too much and just let the instinct take over, and it’s been a pretty good strategy for me so far,” Lyon said of playing in shootouts.

Ruff added: “It was a night you look back and your goalie really helped you win a game.”

Lyon, who played just once over a recent 11-game stretch, has morphed into the Sabres’ backbone throughout their longest run of victories since March 30 to April 8. He has compiled a 2.31 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage during the streak.

“Really good goaltending right now, and he’s helping us staying in games,” said Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin, whose coast-to-coast, highlight-reel power-play goal opened the scoring.

With other Sabres performing at an elite level – on Saturday, center Tage Thompson extended his goal streak to six games – it’s hardly surprising they’ve found a groove.

But while receiving timely goal scoring and game-changing saves, the Sabres have played well with leads and developed more of a competitive and relentless style that new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen wants as an identity.

In the days before Kekalainen replaced Kevyn Adams on Monday, the Sabres began holding late leads and eking out wins.

Ruff said the Sabres are “getting rewarded for playing the right way” in tight games.

“The puck management has been better,” he said of the last five games. “I look at some of the decision-making as we enter the zone has been a big deal. We’re not fueling the other team’s offense by making high-risk plays. And that goes hand in hand with how we played the third period. You just need to play smart. Play it behind them, get it behind them, try to force them into mistakes.”

The Sabres, who play a road game tonight against the New Jersey Devils, haven’t won six straight games since Dec. 13 to 31, 2022.

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Dahlin’s dynamic goal, his fourth this season and 87th of his career, ranks as perhaps his prettiest.

The slick defenseman grabbed the puck behind his net, blew by an opponent inside his blue line and beat two Islanders in the left circle before backhanding the puck past goalie David Rittich.

“I got some speed, got by the first guy, and then I saw the D was flat-footed, so I just wiggled a little a bit and got one-on-one with the goalie,” Dahlin said.

Ruff joked told his team to “use the same breakout” on its next power play.

“Not change a thing,” he said.

Notes: The Sabres scratched winger Isak Rosen after recalling him from the Rochester Americans earlier in the day. Rosen skated in the pregame warm-up. … They also scratched defenseman Jacob Bryson (healthy) and center Tyson Kozak (upper body). Rookie defenseman Zach Metsa played his first game since Oct. 25. … Winger Jack Quinn scored the Sabres’ other shootout goal.