The future came a lot quicker than anticipated for the Sabres. Their three top prospects, all in their first pro season, made it to the NHL before the new year.

The Sabres have high hopes for forwards Tim Kennedy and Nathan Gerbe and defenseman Chris Butler. The plan, though, was to let them play in the American Hockey League for a while. But with the team foundering and injuries taking a toll, the plan changed.

Gerbe arrived in early December, Butler came in the middle of the month and Kennedy made his NHL debut Saturday when the Sabres played host to the New York Islanders.

"It is pretty cool," Kennedy said. "Me, Nate and Chris bonded pretty well over the past few summers at the (rookie development) camp. We lived two doors down from each other in Portland. When they got called up it was awesome. I told them that I hope they both don't come back. I do because they're my best friends down there, but I hope that they stay up here and play, and hopefully I can come up there with them sometime. That's happened now, and it's cool that all three of us are here."

Kennedy, a Buffalo native, is a Michigan State product who was leading AHL rookies with 22 assists. He had one shot in his 11:04 of ice time in his debut, a 4-3 shootout win.

SABRES 4, ISLANDERS 3 (SO): The Sabres allowed two goals in the final 1:34 of regulation, including the tying goal with 2.0 seconds left, but they salvaged the two points in the shootout. Ales Kotalik and Drew Stafford scored while goaltender Ryan Miller stopped Richard Park and Kyle Okposo. The Sabres built a 3-1 lead with 5:23 remaining on goals by Jochen Hecht, Jason Pominville and Clarke MacArthur.