Islanders come off break with solid win over Sabres at UBS Arena

The Islanders know they need to start truckin’ to have any hope of making the playoffs.

Coach Barry Trotz likened his team to "an 18-wheeler" when it’s playing well, with momentum built from four efficient lines, three solid defense pairs and good goaltending.

And that’s what the Islanders showed in Thursday night’s 4-1 win over the Sabres at UBS Arena after a 10-day layoff. Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves for his second win this season — and second straight — and Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists after missing three games while in COVID-19 protocol.

"I watched some of the games [Wednesday] night with teams coming back," Trotz said. "You could see that certain teams hit walls. I thought…