(S (S (PP (IN In) (BASENP (DT the) (NNP NHL))) (S (BASENP (DT the) (NNP Buffalo) (NNPS Sabres)) (VP (VP (VP (VP (VP (VBP beat) (BASENP (DT the) (NNP New) (NNP York) (NNPS Islanders))) (ADVP (NN 3-0))) (PP (IN in) (BASENP (DT a) (NN shutout)))) (PP (IN on) (BASENP (NNP Thursday) (NN night)))) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VP (VB tie) (BASENP (DT the) (NNP NHL) (NN record))) (PP (IN for) (NP (BASENP (DT the) (JJS best) (NN start)) (PP (TO to) (BASENP (DT a) (NN season))))))))))) (PERIOD .))