PULL THE
GOALIE
PLAY

DID THE ISLANDERS PULL THE GOALIE TOO LATE AGAINST BUFFALO?

DEC 20, 2025 · KEYBANK CENTER · THE GAUNTLET

FINAL/SONYI 2, BUF 3
AFTER 2NYI 1, BUF 2
REAL PULLNYI 2:50
SHOTSNYI 34, BUF 32

The pull worked. The Islanders pulled Rittich with 2:50 left, down one, and Heineman tied it with 0:29 left, six on five. Buffalo won 3-2 in a shootout.

THE MODEL'S CALL

This game's data has no model call on the Islanders's pull: the Gauntlet's thirds carry one only for the bench you coach. When the model says to pull, down one and down two, is on how the model works.

THE LAST FIVE MINUTES

Third period: time left. Overtime: time into it.

2:50RITTICH TO THE BENCH. NYI GOES 6 ON 5.
1:27KESSELRING PENALTY. SLASHING.
0:29HEINEMAN SCORES. NYI 2, BUF 2.
OT 4:43TUCH PENALTY. TRIPPING.

TIMEOUTS

The Islanders called its timeout in the second period, with 11:05 left.

WHAT HAPPENED

THE SABRES SCORED NOTHING IN THE THIRD, THE ISLANDERS SCORED ONE, AND THE SABRES WON 3-2 IN A SHOOTOUT.

PLAY THE GAUNTLET

This third is in the Gauntlet's pool of real 2025-26 thirds. A run draws them at random.