The Buffalo Sabres found themselves ahead on the scoreboard for a second-straight game before a Californian team was able to claw their way back to tie the game.
The Sabres managed to get out to a 3-0 lead on Thursday night before the Anaheim Ducks came back to tie the game. On Sunday, Buffalo opened the contest with a 2-0 lead in the second period, only for the lead to dwindle in the third against the Los Angeles Kings.
The only difference between Sunday's game from Thursday's game is the Californian team won the game.
Rasmus Asplund and Victor Olofsson got the Sabres on the board in the second frame, but the Kings found their legs toward the end of the period and into the third. The Sabres took three penalties in the final frame, and one of them cost them when Anze Kopitar evened the score at 2-2.
It ended up being Eden, New York native Alex Iafallo who potted the game-winner for the Kings late in the third.
Let's take a look at three observations from Sunday afternoon's contest:
1.) Asplund stays hot for the Sabres
Goals were hard to come by for Asplund to start the season. Prior to Thursday, Asplund's only marker was an empty-net goal against the Vancouver Canucks.
In Thursday's win over the Ducks, Asplund was the difference maker for Buffalo with two goals, including the game-winning tally in overtime. He kept the engine revving on Sunday with another goal for Buffalo to put them ahead, 1-0.
Asplund wasn't able to double dip this time around, but the Sabres are getting consistent offense out of him, a development that started taking place last season and has continued into a brand new one under head coach Don Granato.
2.) Olofsson's 5-on-5 play improved in the 2021-22 season
Olofsson's 5-on-5 play left much more to be desired through his first two seasons in the National Hockey League.
Former head coach Ralph Krueger had Olosson glued to Jack Eichel's line in both seasons, but Granato has had to find Olofsson a home since Eichel's absence due to injury in March of last season.
Olofsson has found a home playing along with Asplund, his fellow countryman and best friend, as well as Tage Thompson, who has anchored the line down the middle. The trio continues to be the Sabres' line that drives the offense.
Coming in to Sunday's game, the Olofsson-Thompson-Asplund line has resulted in an expected goals-for percentage of 55.4% over 79.7 minutes, good for 15th in the league of lines that have been together for over 50 minutes.
Much of Olofsson's success can be chalked up to meshing with his line so well, but it cannot be denied that there has been a marked improvement in Olofsson's play at even strength.
3.) Tokarski gives Buffalo another quality performance
You can't ask for more out of your backup goaltender to save 90% of the shots he faces.
That's what Dustin Tokarski has provided the Sabres in three starts this season. He's currently carrying a .936 save percentage.
Tokarski did all he could to keep the Sabres in the game on Sunday, making 31 saves on 34 shots faced. For most goalies, that's good enough to win.
The Sabres weren't able to crack Kings goalie Jonathan Quick in the third period, and didn't look to really be in this game after the second period came to an end. An early power play goal from Anze Kopitar knotted things up at 2-2 before Iafallo was able to put this game with 6:19 to go in regulation.
Tokarski's play in his first three games has to make Granato and the Sabres' coaching staff happy. The 32-year-old can expect to hear his number be called in the future. He's proven to be a trustworthy backup so far this year.
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The Sabres will stay in the state of California, but travel north to the Bay Area to take on the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night at SAP Arena.
Sabres pregame coverage on WGR starts at 9:30 p.m. ET with Brian Koziol, leading up to puck drop shortly after 10:30 p.m. ET. You can hear all the play-by-play action on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
