Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres have lost their last two games in overtime and both in similar fashion. On Sunday in Anaheim, Buffalo entered the third period down 4-2 to the Ducks. They scored three goals to take a 5-4 lead, but with just over two minutes left in regulation, Alex Tuch took a tripping penalty and Anaheim tied the game on the 6-on-4 power play only to win in overtime.
On Wednesday the Boston Bruins led 2-1 in the third period when Zach Benson made a great play to strip Mason Lohrei of the puck and walk in alone on Joonas Korpisalo. Benson put a pretty deke on the fallen Bruins goalie to tie the game. Lohrei did what the Bruins do, took a stupid penalty by cross checking Benson into the net and Tage Thompson made his second gorgeous power play pass of the game to Jason Zucker who netted his second goal of the game and in 33 seconds, it was 3-2 Buffalo.
The Bruins tied the game when Jonathan Aspirot's shot came off the back wall into the crease where Rasmus Dahlin allowed his former roommate Casey Mittelstadt to stand. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had no idea where the puck was, all he knew is he heard it hit the back wall. There was nothing he could do.
Then in overtime Peyton Krebs lost the opening draw and Buffalo never saw the puck. David Pastrnak who was easily the game's No.1 star was allowed to gain the zone as Ryan McLeod weakly waved at him with his stick and then turned away from him. Lindy Ruff said,
"I really didn't like our first forward's swing by Pastrnak either."
Dahlin and Tuch were very much in position, but both were caught looking at Pastrnak and ignoring Pavel Zacha coming in fast down the left side. Zacha blew past Luukkonen at beat the goaltender through his pads on a shot he definitely needed to stop.
It's not very often I say this, but this was a tough two games for Tuch and a very tough night for McLeod who probably played his worst game as a Sabre. He was on the ice for three Bruins goals.
Lindy Ruff was not happy with Tuch on the second goal as he failed to get the puck out because he didn't battle hard enough Ruff said,
"When I talk about 50/50 battles, those plays on the walls have to be harder plays, it wasn't a hard enough play. You look at the play on the tying goal, Doan on the wall, that wasn't a hard enough play."
Back to the second goal, after Luukkonen made a great poke check save on Pastrnak, McLeod was caught gliding and just let Viktor Arvidsson go who scored after picking up the loose puck.
Ruff didn't like the first 40 minutes, but was happier with the final 20 minutes. He said,
"We went back to simple, we went back to working harder. Those first two periods are probably our poorer periods of the last three months.
"It was a lot of things, puck decision weren't very good, they won more battles and I don't think that has anything to do with being sluggish, I think that has to do with willpower, get over the puck and make sure you win your battle and our puck play in the second period, we just gave them opportunities and in the third we got back to playing our game."
Honestly I'm not concerned about this game. I can't tell you why but very often after a west coast trip, teams come home and lay an egg in the first game. Buffalo did that. You can't lose sight of the fact that Buffalo has points in 14-of-15 games going 12-1-2. The only game Buffalo didn't get a point in the Washington Capitals scored with 1:33 left to win 2-1.
Conor Timmins came back after missing 38 games with a broken leg and in my mind had his best game as a Sabre. He helped settle down a penalty kill that had giving up three goals on seven attempts in the last two games.
Buffalo's power play also hurt them in the Anaheim loss and in this game it went 2-for-3.
The Sabres are still in first place in the Atlantic Division with a points percentage of .667. The Tampa Bay Lighting are .664. Buffalo has a three point lead, but Tampa Bay has two games in hand. Carolina leads the Eastern Conference at .676. They're even in points with the Sabres, but have one game in hand. On Thursday the Lightning host the Seattle Kraken who are in Buffalo on Saturday. The Sabres are home against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.
Buffalo still has points in 14 out of 15 games going 12-1-2.
