BUFFALO, N.Y. - New York Islanders coach Jack Capuano had no choice but to have faith in younger players after star forward John Tavares was lost to a season-ending knee injury. Brock Nelson and fellow rookies delivered down the stretch and provided a glimpse at a brighter future for the Islanders, who head into the off-season after missing the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years. Nelson scored with 3:44 remaining to force overtime, and then netted the lone shootout goal in a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night in a season-ending matchup of non-playoff teams. The Islanders (34-37-11) won by rallying from a 2-0 deficit and closed the season by winning three straight and eight of 12 (8-2-2). "These kids have played extremely hard, and Im proud of what theyve done not only in the last month and a half, but these last three games," Capuano said. "They really stuck together." The future looks even better after Capuano reiterated that Tavares is on track in his recovery from a left knee injury and should be ready to begin training in the summer. There is much more work to do in Buffalo. Torrey Mitchell, Jamie McBain and Matt Ellis scored for the Sabres (21-51-10), who had already clinched the NHLs worst record. The Sabres went 0-6-1 in their final seven games. With 150 goals scored, Buffalo set the NHL-low in the leagues post-expansion era that began in 1967. The previous low was 151 by Tampa Bay in 1997-98. "The standard has to be set a little bit higher than it was," Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. "Well address that starting with the meetings (Monday)." Nelson, an Islanders first-round pick in the 2010 draft, was eager to show what potential the teams youngsters possess. "We knew we had a young group and a lot of rookies," said Nelson, who topped the Islanders rookie class with 14 goals and 26 points. "We wanted to go out there and give it everything we had every night. I think we were able to do that." Nelson scored the lone shootout goal on the Islanders second shot. He snapped a shot that rookie Connor Knapp got a piece of with his stick. But there was enough backspin for the puck to dribble in. Anders Nilsson stopped 36 shots through overtime and all three he faced in the shootout. Nilsson clinched the victory by using his glove to sweep away a puck that got away from Ville Leino as he drove to the net. Anders Lee, a recent call up, scored twice in a game the Islanders never led until the final score. The Sabres bookended their season with long droughts. Buffalo got off to a 2-13-1 start, and ended with a 2-16-2 skid. "This is our job and we failed. So its definitely salt in the wound," forward Marcus Foligno said. "I guess when it rains it pours, and you really just got to keep putting your head down and moving forward." Though both teams rosters were depleted by injuries, the Islanders fill-ins proved to be better. Down 2-0, Lee scored both his goals in a span of 3:40, bridging the second intermission, to tie it 17 seconds into the third period. Mitchell put the Sabres ahead by deflecting in Rasmus Ristolainens shot 10:09 into the third, before Nelson scored the equalizer. Using Ristolainen as a screen, Nelson snapped in 40-foot shot over Knapps left shoulder. The only thing on the line for the Islanders was where they would finish in the overall standings. The win pushed them into 26th place, two points ahead of Calgary. There is a Sabres tie-in for the Islanders connected to a trade in which Buffalo sent Thomas Vanek to New York for Matt Moulson and a first-round draft pick in one of the next two drafts. The Islanders have until June 1 to determine whether to give up their selection this year or hold off. NOTES: The Sabres 21 wins are the fewest in an 80-plus-game season, and rank second fewest behind Buffalos 16-43-19 finish in 1971-72. Buffalo matched the 21 wins it had in the lockout-shortened season last year. Their 51 regulation losses are the most ever. ... The Islanders went 21-18-2 on the road for their best finish since going 21-15-3-2 in 2001-02. ... The Sabres were forced to call up G Andrey Makarov, D Mark Pysyk and LW Nicolas Deslauriers from AHL Rochester after the team lost five players to injuries at Boston on Saturday. Nemanja Bjelica Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. Marvin Bagley III Kings Jersey . The move - the latest twist in Greeces nearly three-year financial freefall -- is the first such action by any of the countrys major sports bodies. It immediately halts all domestic track and field competitions, including track meets May 12-13 in several Greek cities. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-DeMarcus-Cousins-Kings-Jersey/ . Bouchard went down to a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Svitolina in her opening match at the Sony Open on Friday. Bouchard got the rivalry going two years ago when she won the junior Wimbledon title over Svitolina. Bogdan Bogdanovic Kings Jersey . The weekend at Oriole Park has been less kind, with three players suffering varying degrees of injury. The worst ailment of the three, at least optically, is the deep bone bruise suffered by Adam Lind when he fouled a pitch off the top of his right foot in the sixth inning of Saturdays game. Harry Giles Jersey . Messis father, Jorge Horacio Messi, is apparently still under investigation for an alleged 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in unpaid taxes from Messis image rights from 2007-09. Messis public relations firm confirmed Spanish media reports that the state prosecutor has asked for Messi to be dropped from the investigation that began in June 2013.Chris Woakes says England will be better off having come through a full day in hot, testing conditions in Bangladesh. Set 310 to win, Jos Buttler top-scored with an unbeaten 80 off 64 balls in his first game as stand-in captain to fire England to a four-wicket win over a BCB Select XI in their only warm-up game ahead of the three-match one-day international series, which begins on Friday, live on Sky Sports 2.England needed ice towels during the fixture to keep cool as the high temperature and humidity left players needing to leave the field at periods in the game. It was hot, Woakes told Sky Sports. Weve only been here for a few days but it was testing conditions for us. A day game in this heat is always going to be tough when the sun is at its hottest. Stand-in one-day captain Jos Buttler hit a match winning innings of 80 not out to give England a winning start on their tour of Bangladesh But weve come through it, some of the guys did get cramp but thats the fact that weve only been here for a little while.dddddddddddd Woakes took three for 52 as he continued his impressive form, which has seen him rise to be one of the leading bowlers in Englands attack following strong displays against Sri Lanka and Pakistan this summer. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. The 27-year-old Warwickshire player believes the warm-up game will ultimately have a positive effect on their series. Well be better for the fact that weve been out here for the full day and a full 50 overs in the dirt so were really pleased with the way its gone, he added. You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: England call uncapped trio Hussain: Bangladesh not easy Bangladesh fixtures/results England fixtures/results ' ' '