(WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres haven’t been giving games away for at least a month, but it did happen Thursday, losing in Columbus, 3-2.
Jet Greaves was called up on emergency basis and was in goal after playing in Cleveland on Wednesday.
Greaves looked awful early giving up two goals in 2:45. JJ Peterka beat him from the left circle easily on a shot he has to stop and then Rasmus Dahlin did a great job of being patient to get him moving and scoring to make it 2-0.
After that, Greaves slammed the door and was easily the game’s first star stopping 39 shots and looking at 77 shot attempts from the Sabres.
Buffalo should’ve gone into the first intermission up 2-0, but got sloppy and gave up a goal with nine seconds left in the period. Zach Benson went into the zone on the left wing wall and tried to force a pass into the middle to Tage Thompson. It wasn’t the best pass in the world and Zach Werenski knocked it away to Kent Johnson. Maybe the slowest skater in the National Hockey League anticipated what was coming and took off up ice behind Jacob Bernard-Docker to score on a breakaway. James van Riemsdyk’s goal came with nine seconds left in the period.
Buffalo had numerous opportunities on Greaves in the second to get their two-goal lead back, but he made many point blank saves including one on Peterka during a breakaway. Lindy Ruff said Columbus had one good scoring chance in the period where Buffalo outshot the Blue Jackets 18-7.
In the third some other old problems cropped up. Peterka turned the puck over at the blue line and Zach Aston-Reese put the puck towards James Reimer who was screened and the game was tied at two.
Earlier this season when the Sabres blew a lead, a penalty came right afterwards and Sam Lafferty took a slashing penalty 1:23 after Aston-Reese had tied the game. Bo Byram had a chance to get the puck out while killing the penalty and didn’t. Boone Jenner went to the net and scored the game winner on that power play converting a rebound.
The Sabres got a power play of their own, but Jiri Kulich hit the post on a one-timer and Jason Zucker was robbed in front. Buffalo had 33 shots in the final 40 minutes and Greaves stopped all of them.
The loss stopped Reimer’s career high seven-game winning streak and the team’s five-game winning streak.
Buffalo heads to Florida to play the Panthers on Saturday.