Isles Stumble Again to Sabres in Playoff Gut Punch

New York absorbs a second straight loss to Buffalo, a brutal hit that leaves their playoff hopes dangling by a thread in the East's meat grinder. The Islanders fight tooth and nail, but the Sabres' depth proves too much in a game that swings the wild-card math. Every team from Tampa to Columbus feels the ripple as this defeat amps the pressure on Long Island.