Casey Cizikas' late goal holds up to reviews as Islanders beat Sabres to open campaign

The Islanders survived the review for a high stick and challenge for offside — and finally were victorious in a season opener at home for the first time since 1995.

“It’s changed now,” Casey Cizikas said.

Cizikas tipped in defenseman Adam Pelech’s shot from the blue line at 13:40 of the third period for the tiebreaking goal as the Islanders edged the Sabres — who had battled back from a two-goal first-period deficit — 3-2 on Saturday night at UBS Arena.

Sabres coach Don Granato challenged that Cizikas’ goal came after defenseman Noah Dobson, who was skating backward, carried the puck into the zone offside.

According to the NHL, video review confirmed that Dobson had possession and control of the puck as he entered the Sabres’ zone. The league also noted that Rule 83.1 states, in part, “a player actually controlling the puck who shall cross the line ahead of the puck shall not be considered ‘offside’ provided he had possession and control of the puck prior to his skates crossing the leading edge of the blue line.”

Dobson wasn’t quite sure what the outcome of the challenge would be. “I knew it was close,” he said. “I had possession, though. It’s kind of an awkward play. I’m not used to being out there on the far blue line. I’m happy it counted.”

The Islanders had been 0-5-3 since 1995 in season openers at home — six losses at Nassau Coliseum, one at Barclays Center and one at UBS Arena.

Second-liners Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri scored in the first period. Top-line center Bo Horvat took eight shots and his left wing, Mathew Barzal, got three shots on net and had three more blocked.

The Islanders used speed and their forecheck to be crisper than expected for a season opener in the first period, then kept their composure after the Sabres (0-2-0) tied the score.

“We had that layoff,” coach Lane Lambert said of waiting four days to play the opener after the NHL season began on Tuesday.

“The thing is, you’re ready to go, but we may incur rust a little bit with a layoff like that. But I thought we did a good job. The finish was good. After they scored their second goal, I thought we stepped up.”

Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves for the Islanders.

“This is the first time I start with a win in the season in the NHL,” he said. “It was a hard game. The guys played good and blocked shots and played disciplined.”

And also had a break or two go their way.

For instance, a little more than a minute before Cizikas’ goal, the Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt hit the left post on a sequence that had the Islanders scrambling at their crease.

“Yeah, it’s a game where one shot can lose a game,” Sorokin said. “I was happy it hit the post.”

After the Islanders turned the puck over, Mittelstadt had lifted a backhander to tie it at 2 at 2:34 of the third period.

Nelson opened the scoring at 5:57 of the first period, getting to the high slot to beat goalie Devon Levi (26 saves) with a wrister. The puck had rolled past the Sabres’ Connor Clifton at the Islanders’ blue line and Pierre Engvall raced along the wall to beat the defenseman to the puck and backhand a feed to Nelson.

That gave Nelson six goals in season openers, one behind Hall of Famer Mike Bossy for the franchise record.

A puck off Palmieri’s skate made it 2-0 at 18:18 of the first period, but Jordan Greenway got to the crease to bring the Sabres within 2-1 at 4:15 of the second period.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.