(WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres earned a quality win on Thursday night, beating the Minnesota Wild in a shootout, 3-2.
Minnesota is one of the better teams in the NHL, and came into Thursday's game second in the league in goals scored.
Buffalo wasn’t intimidated, and took the play to the Wild right off the bat. The Sabres were fast, going north/south and forced Cam Talbot to stand on his head.
Talbot made 21 saves in the first period, but it was a point shot that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would want back that gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead.
The Sabres kept pushing and pushing and tied the score eight minutes into the second when Dylan Cozens went to the net and tipped in a Henri Jokiharju shot. Just 20 seconds later, Rasmus Dahlin received a four-minute high sticking penalty and the Sabres did a terrific job killing it off. Luukkonen was fantastic making three great saves along the way, but the problem for the Sabres was that penalty kill took them out of their game flow. It cost them a goal very late in the period when Kirill Kaprizov beat Luukkonen from the left circle that went through the big goalie.
What I really like about Luukkonen is the mental toughness that he’s shown. Going back to Winnipeg, the last three goals that have gone in on him he would want to have back, yet he doesn’t lose his focus and he bounces right back making numerous key saves.
The two best saves came in overtime when Luukkonen absolutely robbed Kevin Fiala and Ryan Hartman. Cozens had his chance to win it as time was running out as he was in alone and got the puck between the pads of Talbot, but he slid one pad over and kept the puck out.
Buffalo generated 40 shots on Talbot who in my mind was the only reason Minnesota was in this game.
Only one goal was scored in the shootout and it came from the stick of Tage Thompson. Right before Thompson won it, Kaprizov hit the post.
Buffalo walked into two very difficult places to play on this trip and got two wins. That’s why no matter how bad it gets, Granato isn’t going to stray from how he believes the game should be played. The Sabres have five out of their last six points, but now it’s back-to-back as the Pittsburgh Penguins are waiting for the Sabres on Friday.
The recent five points has the Sabres seven points behind the Detroit Red Wings who own the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have the other Wild Card position and are 11 in front of the Sabres. The Penguins have won five in a row.
