NEW YORK -- The New Islanders know they will open the postseason next week in Pittsburgh or Florida.

They will have to wait 24 hours to find out their destination.

John Tavares assured the Islanders of at least a point by getting the tying goal with 6:26 left in the third period and New York kept its chances of finishing third in the Metropolitan Division alive despite a 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

Brian Gionta scored the game-winner with 2:14 remaining in overtime on a wrist shot from the low slot but the goal was of little consequence to the Islanders after Tavares scored.

The Islanders clinched their third postseason berth in four seasons with Tuesday's overtime win over Washington.

"You can't do that," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "We haven't had success against Pittsburgh, and probably should have been 0 and 3 against the Panthers. To me, you have to play top teams.

"I just want to make sure for me and this organization, we do the right thing so whoever we play next week that the guys are healthy going into the playoffs and we give them the best chance. That's all we can do."

After the New York Rangers reached 101 points with a 3-2 win over Detroit on Saturday, the Islanders needed to get more than two points to finish third in the Metropolitan Division.

Finishing third would have created a matchup with the Penguins, who handed the Islanders a 5-0 loss in Brooklyn last week and New York kept that possibility alive by rallying from a pair of one-goal deficits.

The Islanders can inch past the Rangers by getting two points in a makeup game against Philadelphia Sunday. If the Islanders lose, they will face Florida.

"Whatever we get, it's two incredibly good teams, tough teams," New York center Frans Nielsen said. "I don't really know who fits better, but we'll play tomorrow and see who we get."

Tavares sent the game into a 3-3 deadlock by winning an offensive zone faceoff and heading to the net.

Stationed at the right side of the crease, Tavares stripped Buffalo's Ryan O'Reilly during a scramble and tapped the puck into the vacated net.

Tavares' 33rd goal occurred after Gionta gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead with a slap shot from the right circle 5:57 into the third.

"I think no matter what team you are, you're playing to win," Gionta said of facing an opponent with multiple playoff scenarios. "You go out there every night to compete and win. I think that's no different."

"You don't really think about what they're supposed to do," Buffalo goaltender Linus Ullmark added. "You're going out there and playing your game and you can't starting thinking ok they're playing for a playoff spot or something like that. We always want to win games, so every game is kind of the same. It's got to be the most important game of the season."

Before Tavares assured the Islanders of at least a point, Scott Mayfield and Alan Quine scored their first career goals early in the second and third period, respectively.

Matt Moulson and Evan Rodrigues had second-period goals for Buffalo.

The game had a preseason feel as the Islanders scratched 11 players due to injury and rest.

New York took a 1-0 lead when Mayfield's point shot trickled past Ullmark 2:03 into the second. The Sabres tied it a little over three minutes later when Moulson tapped in a cross-ice pass from rookie Jack Eichel.

Buffalo took a 2-1 lead into the third when Rodrigues finished off an odd-man rush with 2:03 remaining but the Islanders tied it while shorthanded when Quine put a centering pass from Bracken Kearns into a vacated net.

NOTES: The Islanders scratched LW Matt Martin (upper body), RW Cal Clutterbuck (lower body), D Thomas Hickey (undisclosed), D Marek Zidlicky (rest) and LW Nikolay Kulemin (rest). ... New York recalled Cs Alan Quine and Bracken Kearns, who were two most productive players for Bridgeport of the AHL. ... New York D Adam Pelech made his first appearance since Jan. 14 after being out with a blood clot. ... Injured D Travis Harmonic, G Jaroslav Halak and G J.F. Berube participated in the morning skate. Harmonic skated in full gear. Halak has yet to face any shots during practice. ... Buffalo G Chad Johnson, D Zach Bogosian and LW Johan Larsson were out with minor injuries. Bogosian and Larsson were replaced by D Casey Nelson and RW Hudson Fasching. ... On Friday, several Islanders alumni concluded a two-day celebration of Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour's life. Arbour coached New York's four Stanley Cup championship teams and died Aug. 28.