The NHL announced on Feb. 2 that the game scheduled for later that day between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Islanders would be postponed due to weather delays and subsequent impacts on COVID-19 protocols.
Later on that day, the NHL put out a second release, postponing all Buffalo Sabres games until at least Feb. 8.
The decision is the result of two players entering the league’s COVID protocols. The team’s training facilities are closed immediately and until further notice.
The unexpected postponement gives Buffalo and Whitehorse’s Dylan Cozens an unexpected break, with the next possible game against Boston on Feb. 8.
Buffalo has gone 1-2 in its last three games, and Cozens has been largely quiet on the scoresheet.
After dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to the New York Rangers on Jan. 28, the Buffalo Sabres split a pair of games with the New Jersey Devils over the weekend.
Buffalo lost to New Jersey 4-3 on Jan. 30, but rallied to win 5-3 on Jan. 31.
Rangers beat Sabres
The New York Rangers never trailed in its 3-2 overtime win against Buffalo on Jan. 28.
Things got underway in the first with an even-strength goal from Ryan Strome at 9:44 of the first to give New York its first lead before Jack Eichel evened the score with less than a minute to play in the first period.
Artemi Panarin scored for New York late in the second to put them up 2-1, and a Sam Reinhart goal for Buffalo tied the game at 2-2 in the third.
Former Team Canada teammate of Cozens, Alexis Lafrenière, scored the overtime winner for New York to secure a 3-2 win for the Rangers.
Cozens finished the game with an even +/- rating in just over 12 minutes of ice time.
Buffalo beats New Jersey
The Devils defeated the Sabres in a come-from-behind 4-3 shootout win on Jan. 30.
First-year Sabre Eric Staal opened the score in the second period and Devils defenceman Ty Smith scored later in the period on the power play to tie the score at 1-1 after two periods.
Andreas Johnsson scored early in the third to put New Jersey up 2-1, but the Sabres rallied with goals from Tobias Rieder and Victor Olofsson to get back in the driver’s seat up 3-2.
With a little over five minutes left in regulation, Janne Kuokkanen evened things up at 3-3.
In the shootout, it was Eichel who scored the lone goal to give Buffalo the win.
Cozens had two shots on goal and two hits in 16 minutes and 30 seconds of ice time.
Devils win against Sabres
New Jersey was quick to take revenge for its recent loss, following up with a Jan. 31 5-3 win against Buffalo.
Michael McLeod and Johnsson both scored for New Jersey in the first, giving the Devils a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Buffalo stormed back in the second period, buoyed by goals from Curtis Lazar and Rasmus Dahlin, to tie the game.
Miles Wood, however, had other ideas as he gave New Jersey the lead with just one second remaining on the period clock.
Rasmus Ristolainen scored early in the third for Buffalo to tie the game 3-3, but goals from McLeod and Wood led to a 5-3 New Jersey win.
Cozens was -1 in this contest with 12 minutes and 23 seconds of ice time.
Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com