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Sabres host Islanders in Game One of Eastern Conference quarters

Apr 12, 2007 - 3:08 PM NY Islanders (40-30-12) at Buffalo (53-22-7) 8:00 pm EDT Eastern Conference quarterfinals

BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Sabres' road to the playoffs was a much easier journey than the New York Islanders had to endure.

Fresh of winning the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in club history, the Sabres host the Islanders in Game One of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Thursday.

It was a magical regular season for the Sabres, who finished with 113 points.

Now the Sabres, who boasted four players with at least 30 goals, will try to carry that momentum over to the playoffs. Buffalo came within a win of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals last season.

Waiting for the Sabres are the eighth-seeded Islanders, who clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season with a 3-2 shootout win at New Jersey. New York finished with a four-game winning streak.

Also waiting for the Sabres is former coach Ted Nolan, who led the team to a division title in 1996-97. But Nolan had a bitter falling out with management, was fired and failed to get another job until being hired by the Islanders prior to this season.

Nolan made a key decision that helped the Islanders reach the postseason. With Rick DiPietro (concussion) and Mike Dunham ineffective, Nolan made the move to insert Wade Dubielewicz, who went 4-1 with a 2.06 goals-against average down the stretch.

Buffalo scored 15 goals in taking three of four games from the Islanders this season.