Clinching a playoff spot brought roars from the home crowd and broad smiles from the New York Islanders, who acknowledged that their accomplishment is a satisfying first step.
Jordan Eberle continued his scoring surge with another goal, Anthony Beauvillier added two of his own and the Islanders secured a post-season berth for the first time since 2016 with a 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
Michael Dal Colle and Ryan Pulock also scored for the Islanders, who have 99 points in their first season under coach Barry Trotz and secured a post-season spot in March for the first time since 1990. If the Islanders finish first or second in the Metropolitan Division, it would mark the first time since 1988 that they would open a playoff series at home.
Photo: AP
“The strength of this team is their backbone,” Trotz said. “It’s good to know we have an invite to the party.”
The Islanders, who have won four of their past five games, trail Washington by three points for the division lead and are four points ahead of third-placed Pittsburgh. New York and Washington each have three games remaining, while Pittsburgh have four.
Buffalo’s Victor Olofsson spoiled Robin Lehner’s shutout bid with his first NHL goal on the power play at 13 minutes, 28 seconds into the third period.
Eberle opened the scoring at 7:41 of the first period at Nassau Coliseum, tapping in a rebound after Buffalo’s Carter Hutton initially stopped a shot by Mathew Barzal. Anders Lee also assisted.
The goal was the third in the past two games for Eberle, who has 18 overall this season. He had a three-point game — including the winning goal — against Winnipeg on Thursday, when the Islanders scored two late goals for a 5-4 win over the Jets.
Beauvillier made it 2-0 at 8:20 of the second, finishing off a sequence in which the Islanders kept the puck in the Sabres zone for an extended time. Beauvillier, who was denied on a penalty shot midway through the first period, shot the puck from just inside the blue line to elude Hutton.
Dal Colle added his third goal of the season at 19:26 of the second period, before Pulock scored his ninth goal 30 seconds into the third period to make it 4-0.
Beauvillier scored his second goal of the game and 18th of the season at 6:07 of the third period to make it a 5-0 advantage for the Islanders.
Veteran Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck said that the victory before their appreciative and very vocal fans — the first time that the Islanders clinched at home since 2002 — was important.
“It’s nice to get in there and do it in front of these people in this building,” said the 31-year-old Clutterbuck, an Islander since 2013. “They have been there for us all year.”
The Islanders came out flying against the dreadful Sabres, outshooting Buffalo 16-8 in the first period.
“This game was about battles. They are a bigger team. That’s why they are in the playoffs,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said.
In Saturday’s other games, it was:
‧ Hurricanes 5, Flyers 2
‧ Blue Jackets 5, Predators 2
‧ Canadiens 3, Jets 1
‧ Senators 4, Maple Leafs 2
‧ Capitals 6, Lightning 3
‧ Sharks 4, Golden Knights 3
‧ Blues 3, Devils 2
‧ Ducks 5, Oilers 1
‧ Canucks 3, Stars 2
‧ Kings 3, Blackhawks 2
‧ Panthers 4, Bruins 1
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