Toronto, Ontario (WGR Sports Radio 550) - With a chance to sweep a weekend home-and-home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Buffalo Sabres stumbled late on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.
Leading 3-2 with less than seven minutes left to play, the Sabres coughed up the game-tying goal, and later the overtime-winning goal in a 4-3 defeat in Toronto.
The Sabres came out like gangbusters in the opening period of play, and were finally rewarded 13:40 into the affair.
Tage Thompson labeled the game's first goal with a wrist shot, short-side, up-and-over the shoulder of goalie Cayden Primeau.
Toronto tied things up just before intermission, however.
Forward Nicholas Robertson got lost in coverage out in front, and deposited a centering pass from linemate Easton Cowan in behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to make it 1-1.
In the second period, Toronto grabbed its first lead of the night.
Forward Matias Maccelli was able to tip a puck past Luukkonen for a 2-1 Maple Leafs advantage just 1:59 into the middle frame.
The Sabres answered back about 12-and-a-half minutes later, with a seeing-eye shot from the point.
Defenseman Bowen Byram let a wrist-shot loose from distance, and it eluded all traffic in front to tie the contest at 2-2.
Still tied seven minutes into the third period of play, Thompson vaulted the Sabres ahead once again.
While on a man advantage opportunity, Thompson corralled a rebound, spun himself around, and wired his 50th-career power play goal to make it 3-2, Buffalo.
Toronto didn't go quietly, and tied the game one more time in the late stages.
Forward Dakota Joshua was able to skate into open space and throw a shot on net from the left-circle, which eluded the glove of Luukkonen.
The 3-3 score held through 60 minutes of regulation, requiring overtime between the two Atlantic Division rivals.
The Sabres owned possession and chances during the extra frame, but a bungled odd-man opportunity ended up going the other way.
After a pair of missed opportunities to put pucks on goal by Jack Quinn and Owen Power, Thompson was then unable to keep stride with John Tavares, who then managed to beat Luukkonen for the game-winning goal less than a minute-and-a-half into the extra frame.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 13:40 - Tage Thompson (3) (Jiri Kulich, Mattias Samuelsson)
TOR: 18:33 - Nicholas Robertson (1) PPG (Easton Cowan, Auston Matthews)
Second Period:
BUF: 14:23 - Bowen Byram (1) (Conor Timmins, Ryan McLeod)
TOR: 1:59 - Matias Maccelli (2) (John Tavares, Matthew Knies)
Third Period:
BUF: 7:06 - Tage Thompson (4) PPG (Rasmus Dahlin, Zach Benson)
TOR: 13:10 - Dakota Joshua (2) (Jake McCabe, Brandon Carlo)
Overtime:
BUF: NONE
TOR: 1:28 - John Tavares (5) (Matthew Knies)
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Blue Star Home Services Three Stars of the Game:
1.) John Tavares - TOR
2.) Tage Thompson - BUF
3.) Jake McCabe - TOR
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What's next:
The Sabres return home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. Puck drop at KeyBank Center is set for 6:45 p.m. with Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray on the call.