The Buffalo Sabres withstood a second period charge by the Tampa Bay Lightning to defeat the visitors, 5-1 on Monday night at KeyBank Center. Craig Anderson made 35 saves in the victory.
Buffalo wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Victor Olofsson followed up a Tage Thompson shot on goal and scored his third goal of the season for a 1-0 lead. Thompson and Robert Hagg were credited with the assists on the game's first score.
The blue and gold killed off the only power play chance of the opening period after Rasmus Asplund was called for holding. It gave the Lightning a 4-on-3 opportunity with two players already in the box for roughing minors.
With just under two minutes to go in the period, Alex Killorn was rewarded for his hard work with a goal that tied the game at 1-1. Killorn had several scoring chances in the opening frame and scored his third goal of the season. Ryan McDonagh was originally credited with the score, but was eventually awarded an assist along with Mathieu Joseph.
The Lightning continued to pepper Anderson in the second period, but the veteran netminder was up to the task. More than halfway through the frame, Tampa Bay was outshooting Buffalo, 8-0, for a 22-9 overall advantage in the game.
The blue and gold recorded just three shots on goal in the second period, but Drake Caggiula made his chance count when he used a partial breakaway attempt to score the only goal of the period. The unassisted goal came with less than a minute to go in the period to give the Sabres their second lead of the night, 2-1.
Buffalo's lead doubled less than three minutes into the third period thanks to a strong effort in the offensive zone that led to Vinnie Hinostroza's first goal of the season. The forward stole the puck just inside the Lightning blue line and beat goalie Brian Elliott with the shot that made the score 3-1 in favor of the Sabres.
The Lightning pulled Elliott with just under six minutes to go in regulation, and Buffalo took advantage quickly. Hagg scored off of a faceoff in the defensive zone when he sent the puck nearly the length of the ice into the empty net. It ballooned the blue and gold's lead to 4-1 late in the third.
Olofsson's second goal of the game came with 2:30 remaining in the game, and was another empty-net goal for the Sabres. Asplund made the pass and was credited with an assist, along with Thompson.
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GAME SUMMARY
Goal Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 1:41 - Victor Olofsson (1) (Tage Thompson, Robert Hagg)
TBL: 18:26 - Alex Killorn (3) (Ryan McDonagh, Mathieu Joseph)
Second Period:
BUF: 19:22 - Drake Caggiula (1) (Unassisted)
TBL: NONE
Third Period:
BUF: 4:25 - Vinnie Hinostroza (1) (Unassisted); 14:25 - Robert Hagg (1) ENG (Zemgus Girgensons); 17:30 - Victor Olofsson (4) ENG (Rasmus Asplund, Tage Thompson)
TBL: NONE
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Penalty Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 9:33 - John Hayden (Roughing - 2 min.); 11:07 - Rasmus Asplund (Holding - 2 min.)
TBL: 9:33 - Erik Cernak (Roughing - 2 min.)
Second Period:
BUF: 4:00 - Colin Miller (Slashing - 2 min.)
TBL: NONE
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
TBL: 9:52 - Erik Cernak (Cross checking - 2 min.)
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Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Craig Anderson - BUF
2.) Drake Caggiula - BUF
3.) Robert Hagg - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres begin a four-game west coast road trip on Thursday night in Anaheim against the Ducks at Honda Center. Faceoff is set for 10 p.m. ET with pregame coverage on WGR starting at 9 p.m. ET with Brian Koziol.
