Alex Lyon makes 26 saves, ties Buffalo record with 9th straight win as Sabres blank Islanders 5-0

NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Tucker scored twice and Alex Lyon stopped 26 shots and tied a Buffalo record with his ninth straight victory as the Sabres beat the New York Islanders 5-0 Saturday.

Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch also scored as the Sabres won their third straight and for the fifth time in seven games. Ryan McLeod and Mattias Samuelsson each had two assists.

Lyon, who signed with the Sabres in July after two seasons with Detroit, recorded the sixth shutout of his career and tied the Buffalo record of Gerry Desjardins (1976-77) with nine consecutive wins.

Buffalo improved to 18-3-1 in its last 22 games.

David Rittich made 16 saves for the Islanders, who were playing their first home game after a seven-game trip in which they went 3-3-1.

Rittich, who last started on Jan. 17 against Calgary, entered the game with a 4-2-2 record 2.46 goals-against average versus Buffalo. He slipped to 11-7-3 this season.

Zucker opened the scoring 33 seconds into the second period, scoring on a wrist shot, offa rebound of a shot by Jack Quinn. Thompson extended the lead to two goals, scoring past a sliding Rittich at 19:47 of the second.

Zucker's second goal of the game, 25 seconds into the third, stretched the lead to 3-0. Dahlin scored into an empty net at 14:02 of the period and Tuch completed the scoring approximately 30 seconds later by tipping a shot from Samuelsson by Rittich.

Bo Horvat was back on the ice with the Islanders after being sidelined for nine games due to a lower-body injury.

Sabres: At Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

Islanders: At Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) go after the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

New York Islanders center Calum Ritchie (64) passes the puck around Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) and New York Islanders defenseman Adam Boqvist (34) go after the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

New York Islanders players celebrate after the puck gets past Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) but was later ruled not a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker (17) celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Winter weather can upend even the best-laid travel plans, but one less thing to worry about is losing money if your flight is canceled: U.S. airlines are required to provide refunds.

A monster storm started to wreak havoc Saturday across parts of the country, with 12,200 weekend flights and counting canceled. Forecasters warned that catastrophic damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival that of a hurricane.

Here's a guide for winter travelers as flight disruptions pile up:

When airlines expect bad weather to create problems for flights, they often give travelers a chance to postpone their trips by a few days without having to pay a fee. Search online for your airline’s name and “travel alerts” or similar phrases to look for possible rescheduling offers.

American Airlines, for example, said it is waiving change fees for passengers impacted by the storm and adding extra flights around the country in an effort to help passengers reach their destination after the storm passes.

Use the airline’s app to make sure your flight is still on before heading to the airport.

Cancellations can happen hours — or even days — before departure time. Consider American and Delta Air Lines: By mid-day Saturday, each carrier had canceled more than 1,000 of its scheduled Sunday flights, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.

Oklahoma’s largest airport suspended all flights Saturday, while Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, a major hub, saw more than 700 departing flights canceled and nearly as many arriving flights called off. Flight disruptions also were stacking up at airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Disruptions were expected to intensify Sunday, FlightAware data showed. By late Saturday afternoon, nearly all departing flights scheduled to leave Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Sunday — 405 flights, or about 95% — had already been canceled. Major disruptions were also forecast for airports in Charlotte and Atlanta, home to the nation’s busiest airport, as well as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, where 87% of Sunday's departing flights have so far been canceled.

If you're already at the airport, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. If you're still at home or at your hotel, call or go online to connect to your airline's reservations staff. Either way, it helps to also research alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.

Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge, but it depends on the availability of open seats.

You can, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. Some airlines, including most of the biggest carriers, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then it can be a hit or miss.

If your flight was canceled and you no longer want to take the trip, or you've found another way to get to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money — even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn't matter why the flight was canceled.

The airline might offer you a travel credit, but you are entitled to a full refund. You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras that you didn’t get to use.

If you paid with a credit card, a refund is due within seven business days after you decline an offer from the airline for another flight or a voucher, and within 20 calendar days if you paid for the ticket with a check or cash, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

U.S. airlines aren't required by the Transportation Department to compensate passengers for meals or lodging when an airline cancels or significantly delays a flight during an “uncontrollable” event like bad weather.

Each airline, however, does have its own policies for assisting passengers who are stranded by a so-called “controllable” flight cancellation or long delay. These include disruptions caused by maintenance issues, crew shortages or computer outages that halt operations. The Transportation Department can hold airlines accountable for these commitments and maintains a website that lets travelers see what each airline promises if a major disruption is their fault.

If the weather forecast is troubling, Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, suggests looking into booking a backup flight. Some airlines stand out as potential backups, Potter says, because they let customers get a full refund as long as they cancel within 24 hours of booking.

The customer service phone lines will be slammed if flight cancellations and delays start stacking up during a bad storm. If you're traveling with someone who has a higher frequent-flyer status, call the airline using their priority number. Another trick: Look up the airline’s international support number. Those agents can often rebook you just the same.

Oklahoma City street crews clear roadways of snow in Oklahoma City on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

A person cleans snow during a cold weather in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Fresh snow blows through an intersection in Lowville, N.Y., on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)