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Saturday, Dec. 18 7:00pm ET
Andersson rewards Isles for call-up | |||||
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BOX SCORE
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- Niklas Andersson made himself right at home. Andersson, recalled Friday from Chicago of the International Hockey League, had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders tied the Buffalo Sabres 2-2 Saturday night. "Of course it feels great," Andersson. "I played a lot in Chicago and they played me a lot here tonight." Andersson tied it at 1 with a power-play goal midway through the second period, and set up Tim Connolly tying goal at 6:53 of the third period. Anderson's power-play goal was the Islanders' first in 19 manpower advantages. "We keep saying that a remedy for us is to score the first goal," Islanders coach Butch Goring said, "but the oddity for tonight is that we got a power-play goal. If we can be even or win the special teams battles, we usually get points." The Islanders, who earned their first point in eight home games, are winless in nine games overall (0-7-2) and have not won at home since beating Montreal 2-1 on Nov. 4. Curtis Brown and Jason Woolley scored for the Sabres, and Dwayne Roloson made 25 saves. Islanders goalie Felix Potvin stopped 27 shots to snap a personal six-game losing streak. The Sabres opened the scoring at 6:36 of the second period when Brown's shot from the right side hit off Potvin and trickled in. After Andersson tied, Woolley put Buffalo back in front with 32 seconds left in the period as a Sabres' power play expired. Connolly tied it in the third with his first goal since Nov. 27. He faked two shots cutting across the high slot before firing a high wrist shot over Roloson. "When he scores, he scores unbelievable goals," Goring marveled. "Kids like him are our future. Just wait until they get older and have to shave." Connolly celebrated by slamming himself face first into the glass. "Being down a goal in the third period, scoring like that was exciting," Connolly said. The Islanders had a good opportunity to win in overtime, but Vladimir Orszagh fanned on a shot on a breakaway. The Sabres were 0-for-7 on the power play, dropping their NHL-worst total to 13-for-147 (8.8 percent). "There seems to be a lack of confidence on our power play, and that's what's hurting us offensively," defenseman James Patrick said. "Tonight was a microcosm of that." The announced attendance was 7,997, New York's fifth straight crowd under 8,000. The Islanders are averaging 9,347 at home. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard Buffalo Clubhouse NY Islanders Clubhouse RECAPS Calgary 2 Ottawa 1
Buffalo 2
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