ELMONT, N.Y. — To get the three wins this week that would greatly enhance their playoff chances, the Islanders had to win the first one first.
So now it’s on to Pittsburgh after a critical 3-2 victory over the Sabres on Tuesday night at UBS Arena with all three goals coming from bottom-six forwards.
The Islanders (33-25-8) maintained a one-point lead over the Penguins, who have played three fewer games, for the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. They moved six points ahead of the Sabres (32-27-4), who have also played three fewer games but are in a 1-4-0 skid.
Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves while the Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 36 shots.
Josh Bailey, knocking in a loose puck off the right post with a backhander, gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 1:51 of the third period. Ex-Islander Kyle Okposo connected through a screen from the left point to tie it at 2-2 at 4:59.
But Hudson Fasching scored the winner at 7:37 as Bailey’s feed to the left post went in off Fasching’s shin. The goal was initially waved off for a kicking motion but overturned after a lengthy review.
Tuesday marked the start of a crucial head-to-head week for the Islanders’ playoff push as they also face visit the Penguins on Thursday night and host the Capitals on Saturday night.
The Islanders are at a disadvantage in having played more games than any of their rivals. Which means they can ill afford any slips in play.
“It is a big week, we know that,” coach Lane Lambert said. “You can’t get ahead of yourselves in any way, shape or form.”
The Islanders have 16 games remaining and probably need to earn 20-22 more points to feel comfortable about qualifying for the postseason.
The Islanders have certainly reversed course after an ugly 2-8-3 stretch from Jan. 1-25. In doing so, they’ve given themselves a chance to somewhat control their own playoff fate as they face the teams they’re trying to beat out for a postseason berth.
“All the games at this time of the year are important for everyone,” defenseman Noah Dobson said. “We know where we’re at in the standings and where the teams we’re playing are at. They’re big games, big points. But they’re all big at this time of the year.”
The Sabres also visit UBS Arena on March 25 and, after Saturday, the Islanders face the Capitals twice more in Washington. The Islanders can sweep the four-game season series against the Penguins on Thursday.
Dylan Cozens gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 5:00 of the second period as he got the crease and beat Sorokin past his blocker. Defenseman Henri Jokiharju sprung Cozens after Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech was caught out of position.
Lambert then started shuffling his lines, elevating Simon Holmstrom from the fourth line to top-line center Bo Horvat’s right wing along with Anders Lee.
But it was Casey Cizikas and the third line joined by Bailey after he started on the fourth line — that set up the Islanders’ first goal.
Cizikas won an offensive-zone faceoff against Cozens and established position just above the blue paint. Fasching, from behind the crease, found Cizikas, who stuffed it past Luukkonen at 12:38 of the second period.
But the Islanders couldn’t net a second second-period goal despite a 17-7 shot advantage over the middle 20 minutes. Horvat did hit the crossbar on a power-play one-timer from the slot at 16:19.
The Islanders were a bit passive off the opening faceoff with the Sabres having more jump despite losing to the visiting Oilers 3-2 on Monday night.
