The Buffalo Sabres were catching a reeling Pittsburgh Penguins team at the right time on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins found themselves on a two-game skid and just seventh place in the NHL's Metropolitan Division. They absolutely needed to win this game. Meanwhile, the Sabres were coming off a late regulation loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Saturday night.
Both teams were trying to get back on the right foot in the 2021-22 season.
The Sabres were the ones to lead by example, with Dustin Tokarski turning in a 14-save first period before Buffalo was finally able to get on the board in the second period. Dylan Cozens made a great play in the offensive zone, and the puck found its way back to Colin Miller, who fired it home.
Kyle Okposo would add a goal in the second before the Sabres would hold on for dear life.
Tokarski stood on his head in this one. His only goal given up was a fluky bounce off the skate of Penguins forward Jake Guentzel six minutes into the third period. From there, it was the Dustin Tokarski show, as the Sabres wouldn't even get a shot on goal until a late power play in the third period.
Let's take a look at three observations from Tuesday night's game:
1.) Tokarski has found another level
Is it a different pregame routine? Is it something in his water bottle?
Whatever it is that's fueling Tokarski's hot streak, it's working.
After bringing his A-game to help the Sabres win on Friday night against the Edmonton Oilers, Dustin Tokarski brought his A+ game on Tuesday night against the Penguins.
Tokarski saved 45 of 46 Penguins shots all night. The Penguins hammered the Sabres for 20 shots in the third period, and were only able to put their name on the scoresheet just once in the goals column.
The Sabres aren't winning Tuesday's game without Tokarski.
2.) Cozens is here to stay
Prior to this past weekend, Cozens was struggling to find his way with this team. There was chatter among the fans that perhaps Cozens should go down to the American Hockey League and enjoy some success with JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn and the Rochester Americans.
On Friday night against Edmonton, something clicked.
Sabres head coach Don Granato inserted Cozens' line to start and match up against the Connor McDavid line of the Oilers. Granato said he made this decision based on Cozens' body language with being asked to take on the assignment.
Cozens delivered with a couple goals against the Oilers, and found himself having similar success against Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Once again, it was the same story on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. It was the Cozens line that drew the opening faceoff against Sidney Crosby.
While the Sabres can't match Cozens against teams' top lines away from home, he was still able to work his magic against the Penguins. He received the secondary assist on Colin Miller's goal.
3.) Sabres fall flat in the third period
Don't really need to elaborate on this one.
The Sabres brought barely anything in the third period, taking just three shots on goal and attempting on five shots, as opposed to the Penguins' 20 shots and 29 shot attempts.
Buffalo was able to close this one out on the back of Tokarski.
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The Sabres come back home Thursday night to face Matthew Tkachuk and the Calgary Flames at KeyBank Center.
Sabres pregame coverage starts at 6 p.m. EST with Schopp and the Bulldog, with puck drop just after 7 p.m. EST on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
