Tim Kennedy was talking on the phone with his girlfriend, finalizing plans for her visit to Portland this week. The call waiting beeped, and her itinerary changed. So did Kennedy's whole life.

The incoming call was Portland coach Kevin Dineen. When Kennedy saw the caller ID, he just figured it was Dineen telling him the travel plans had been altered for the Pirates' game Saturday in Manchester, N.H. He never dreamed the coach would tell him he was going home to Buffalo.

But Kennedy did make it home for the holidays, and the South Buffalo native made his NHL debut Saturday night in a 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders.

"I've been dreaming about this for my whole life, and for it to come true was unreal," Kennedy said. "It felt great. Our team got the win, and that was the main thing."

The Islanders nearly spoiled everything by taking advantage of the Sabres' dismal showings in third periods. They entered the final 20 minutes with a lead for the third time in four games, and for the third time they couldn't hold it. The Islanders scored twice in the final 1:34, including the tying goal by Chris Campoli with 2.0 seconds left.

The shootout salvaged the night. Ales Kotalik and Drew Stafford scored while Ryan Miller stopped Richard Park and Kyle Okposo.

"It's not the way we wanted to end the game," center Jochen Hecht said. "With two seconds left, we give up a shot from the middle of the slot, and that's not good. ... It almost cost us again, but we came back and got the second point in the shootout."

Kennedy started the game and received a loud ovation from the HSBC Arena crowd when he was introduced with Hecht and right wing Jason Pominville.

"That was real exciting," Kennedy said. "I didn't expect that at all. It was one of the best feelings I've ever had."

He finished with one shot and two great scoring chances. The second was stopped only because Kennedy forced defenseman Freddy Meyer to take a hooking penalty in front of the net.

"The whole first period I was just in shock and awe," Kennedy said. "I didn't know what to do out there. I was just staring around, trying to play hockey. In the second and third, I thought I started to calm down just a little bit more."

The call with Dineen on Friday night got Kennedy's weekend started, but most of the conversation was a blur.

"He was like, 'Sorry to disturb you, but you probably won't mind this call. You're getting called up,'" Kennedy said. "He talked for the next two minutes, but I didn't hear a word he said. I was just kind of in shock. It was the best call I've had in a while."

The feeling was the same for Kennedy's parents and girlfriend, who got the news as soon as the 22-year-old hung up with Dineen.

"She started screaming, and I called my parents and they started crying," Kennedy said. "By the time I got back to my girlfriend, half of South Buffalo knew. I was getting texts and phone calls."

And ticket brokers were getting attention. Kennedy's friends and family, who'd been waiting for the day since the Sabres acquired him in 2005, scrambled for ducats to be among the sellout of 18,690.

Kennedy's coming-out party coincided with the reappearance of Hecht and Pominville. Each of Kennedy's linemates broke out of a prolonged slump, and their reactions showed the droughts had gotten to them.

Hecht opened the scoring with seven minutes left in the first. Ales Kotalik sent a cross-ice pass to Maxim Afinogenov, and he one-touched it back across the crease to Hecht. The cameras caught the center with a huge grin on his face as he found a comfortable spot on the bench.

The goal was Hecht's first in 10 games and second in 15.

The Islanders' Jeff Tambellini evened the score midway through the second, but Pominville put the Sabres back in front with 6:51 to go in the period. Buffalo earned a two-man advantage, and Pominville capitalized when his pass to the front came right back to him.

After the winger beat goaltender Joey MacDonald high, he cast his eyes even higher. Pominville coasted toward the boards with his eyes staring at the ceiling and his arms raised in a frozen expression of relief.

Pominville's goal ended a seven-game skid and was just his second in 18 games.

"A lot of weight got lifted off our shoulders," Hecht said. "Each of us got a goal. Hopefully, we can keep that up now."

Clarke MacArthur gave the Sabres a 3-1 lead with 5:23 to go in regulation, but Mike Comrie's power-play goal with 1:34 to go and Campoli's buzzer-beater made the Sabres sweat.

They can breathe easy until Tuesday, when they host the Washington Capitals.