Sabres end 13-game losing streak, beat Islanders 7-1

It’s a Christmas miracle.

The Buffalo Sabres went into the NHL Holiday Break by beating an in-state rival, the New York Islanders, on Monday night by a final score of 7-1.

It ended the Sabres’ 13-game losing streak, giving the team its first win since they defeated the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 23.

Rookie Jiri Kulich led the charge with two goals and an assist, the best game of his young career. Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, Jason Zucker, Beck Malenstyn and Tage Thompson also found the back of the net. Ukko-Pekka Luukonen, who suffered nine defeats during the skid, made 27 saves on Long Island.

The 13-game slide is the third-longest losing streak in franchise history. Their 18-game skid during a terrible 2020-21 season is tied for the longest losing streak in NHL history. Buffalo also lost 14 in a row during the 2014-15 tank-a-thon.

Granted, it wasn’t like the Sabres didn’t keep things close during the stretch. Three of the 13 defeats came in either overtime or a shootout, with nine games being decided by two goals or less.

Prior to American Thanksgiving, the Sabres were right in the middle of the Wild Card conversation. However, this long stretch of bad play has led to the team becoming favorites for another solid spot in next year’s NHL Draft.

Even with Monday night’s victory, Buffalo is at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, 20 points behind the Florida Panthers for first place and 12 behind the Ottawa Senators for the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The next skid the Sabres have to an end is the one they have at home. Buffalo hasn’t been victorious at Key Bank Center since Nov. 14, when it defeated the St. Louis Blues in overtime. The Sabres have since lost eight straight home games, going 0-5-3 over that span. They will have a good chance to end that streak this coming Friday as the Sabres come out of the break with a matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks, who now have the worst record in the NHL.