Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres were unable to get out of the weekend with four points in the East Division standings, as the New Jersey Devils avenged their 4-3 shootout loss on Saturday with a 5-3 win on Sunday at KeyBank Center.
The Sabres were blanked in the opening period of play, while the Devils did something rare. New Jersey scored in the first 20 seconds of the stanza, as well as the last 20. Michael McLeod opened the scoring on a breakaway, while Andreas Johnsson capped the scoring, getting credit for a bouncing puck that got behind Sabres goalie Carter Hutton.
If the blue and gold were going to come out of the weekend with all four points, they were going to have to concoct a strong second period response. The Sabres were able to do just that, tying the game with goals from forward Curtis Lazar and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
It felt like a new game following Dahlin's power play tally, but only for a few minutes. With 0.9 seconds left on the clock in the second period, the Devils struck back when Buffalo-born forward Miles Wood cashed in on a rebound and re-claimed the lead for New Jersey heading into the final period of regulation.
The Sabres found the equalizer less than four minutes into the third period, when after a 4-on-4 scenario turned into a Buffalo power play, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was able to chip a puck through Devils goalie Eric Comrie to tie the game again.
A little less than seven minutes later, New Jersey, once again, took the lead on a very soft goal-against Hutton off a shot from McLeod. His second goal of the afternoon gave the Devils a 4-3 advantage, which New Jersey would not squander.
The visitors made it 5-3 with 7.4 seconds left in the game as Miles Wood hit the empty net for his second goal of the afternoon.
----------
GAME SUMMARY
Goal Summary:
First Period:
BUF: NONE
NJ: 0:20 - Michael McLeod (2) (P.K. Subban, Ryan Murray); 19:43 - Andreas Johnsson (2) (Jesper Bratt, Ty Smith)
Second Period:
BUF: 14:11 - Curtis Lazar (3) (Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe); 15:23 - Rasmus Dahlin (1) PPG (Victor Olofsson, Jack Eichel)
NJ: 19:59 - Miles Wood (4) (Janne Kuokkanen)
Third Period:
BUF: 3:53 - Rasmus Ristolainen (2) PPG (Victor Olofsson, Jack Eichel)
NJ: 10:40 - Michael McLeod (3) (Miles Wood, Nathan Bastian); 19:52 - Miles Wood (5) (Pavel Zacha, Damon Severson)
----------
Penalty Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 14:35 - Matt Irwin (Tripping - 2 min.)
NJ: 9:28 - Janne Kuokkanen (High-sticking - 2 min.)
Second Period:
BUF: NONE
NJ: 1:40 - Dmitry Kulikov (Hooking - 2 min.) ; 15:07 - Ty Smith (Holding - 2 min.)
Third Period:
BUF: 1:10 - Brandon Montour (Slashing- 2 min.); 7:50 - Rasmus Dahlin (Holding - 2 min.)
NJ: 2:19 - TEAM [Served by Andreas Johnson] (Faceoff Violation - 2 min.)
----------
----------
Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Miles Wood - NJ
2.) Michael McLeod - NJ
3.) Rasmus Ristolainen - BUF
----------
What's Next:
The Sabres visit the New York Islanders on Tuesday night for a rare 6 p.m. EST puck drop on Long Island. The Paul William Beltz Pregame Show with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog starts at 5 p.m. EST on the home of the Buffalo Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
