Pre-game
*April is the Sabres’ best month since 2005-06; they have a 30-15-3 (.656) April record in that span, including a 7-4-0 (.636) record so far this season.
*The Sabres are 21-14-6 all-time in the final game of the regular season.
*The Sabres are 8-4-2 against the Atlantic Division this season; the Islanders are 7-6-1 against the Northeast.
After 1st period: NYI 0 – BUF 0
*Cody Hodgson is 6-for-7 on the draw through one period.
*Tonight is Adam Pardy’s 200th NHL game and Ryan Miller’s 500th NHL game.
*Miller is the 62nd goaltender in NHL history to achieve this milestone. Miller, who has spent his entire career with the Sabres, is the 20th goaltender in NHL history to play at least 500 games with one team and the 12th to play his first 500 with the same team.
*Of the 62 goaltenders who have reached the 500 GP mark, Miller ranks fifth with a .915 career save percentage and ranks 14th with a 2.59 goals against average. Dominik Hasek leads all of these goaltenders in both categories.
*Despite ranking 62nd on the all-time games played list, Miller ranks 40th in wins (268). His record ranks him second among goaltenders with at least 500 games played in win percentage (.549), seventh in points percentage (.607) and 19th in adjusted points percentage (.564), a measure in which all ties, overtime losses, and shootout wins/losses are counted as regulation ties to better compare goaltenders from different eras.
*For more Ryan Miller/500 games played stats, including a list of all goaltenders with 500 games played, visit www.sabres.com/media.
*Buffalo is 13-9-3 this season when tied after the first period; New York is 6-10-3 when tied after one.
After 2nd period: NYI 0 – BUF 1
*With his assist, Thomas Vanek tied Tyler Ennis for the team’s assist lead (21). Vanek also owns the team lead in goals (20) and points (41).
*In his seven previous seasons, Vanek led the Sabres in goals five times (2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11). He led the team in assists and points just once (2010-11).
*Mikhail Grigorenko leads all skaters with a career-high six shots through two periods.
*The Sabres are 15-4-4 when scoring first; the Islanders are 7-14-3 when allowing the first goal.
*Buffalo is 8-0-4 this season when leading after the second period; New York is 2-7-4 when trailing after two.
Final: NYI 1 – BUF 2 (SO)
*The Sabres improved to 7-4 this year in the shootout (50-41 all-time).
*With the shootout win, Ryan Miller improved to 43-27 in his career in the shootout, passing Martin Brodeur for second-most shootout wins by a goaltender (Henrik Lundqvist-45).
*Thomas Vanek improved to 3-for-5 in the shootout this season. He is now 19-for-53 in his career, passing Ales Kotalik for most shootout goals in franchise history. His five game-deciding goals tie Jason Pominville and Derek Roy for second-most, behind Kotalik.
*Vanek finishes the season with a team-leading 20 goals and 41 points, and he tied Tyler Ennis for the team lead with 21 assists. It is the second time in his career that Vanek has led the Sabres in all three categories (last: 2010-11).
