The 2024-25 season has reached the holiday break as teams won’t play again until Dec. 27, so for the players, coaches, and everyone else, it’s a much-needed few days off.

In a matchup between the cellar dwellers of both Eastern Conference divisions, the New York Islanders lost by a shocking total Monday evening. The Buffalo Sabres came to UBS Arena and ended their 13-game losing streak with a resounding 7-1 beatdown of the home team.

For all the ceiling the Islanders had shown just two days prior, here came the thud that has acted as a metronome to the season’s first 35 games.

Rasmus Dahlin tallied a career-high four assists in his return to the lineup as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the New York Islanders 7-1 at UBS Arena on Monday, ending a 13-game winless streak (0-10-3).

The New York Islanders were eager for their star to return from injury, but he's struggled since rejoining the lineup.

The New York Islanders and New York Rangers have been involved in four of the last five conference finals. Both teams have made the playoffs in the previous two seasons. They have two of the top 10 goalies in the league, a handful of high-end players, high-profile coaches and general managers.

Islanders play one more game before the holiday break. It's against the Sabres and it might make or break their season.

If you’re a fan of an old enough age or have seen the classics, you’d know that December 23 is the day Festivus is celebrated. Festivus is a made-up holiday invented by the sitcom Seinfeld.

The Sabres outshot the Islanders 8-5 in the first period. While on the power play, Zucker extended the Sabres lead to 3-0 at 6:53 of the second. His one-timer from the high slot off a feed from Quinn at the top of the left circle beat Sorokin high glove side.

Pyotr Kochetkov was solid between the pipes for Carolina to help the Hurricanes escape with a win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

The Sabres are bad again. The Islanders are buffaloed. The Rangers are on an island. You get the picture – it’s a big, jumbled mess in the state of New York right now.