Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres have lost their last two games in overtime, and both in similar fashion.
In Anaheim this past Sunday, 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, Anaheim tied the game on a 6-on-4 power play, and then won it overtime.
Fast forward to Wednesday, the Boston Bruins led 2-1 in the third period in Buffalo 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 then did what the Bruins do more than anyone in the league: Take a stupid penalty late, as he cross-checked Benson into the net.
On the ensuing power play, Tage Thompson made his second gorgeous pass of the game to Jason Zucker, who netted his second goal of the game.
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 in Buffalo, Casey Mittelstadt, to stand uncontested. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had no idea where the puck was. All he knew is he heard it hit the back wall, and 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.
"I really didn't like our first forward's swing by Pastrnak either," said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff after the loss.
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 beat Luukkonen 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 member of the Sabres. He was on the ice for three goals-against.
Ruff was not happy with Tuch on the second goal, as he failed to get the puck out of the defensive zone because he didn't battle hard enough.
"When I talk about 50/50 battles, those plays on the walls have to be harder plays. It wasn't a hard-enough play,” said Ruff. “You look at the play on the tying goal, [Josh] 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. The Bruins winger then scored after picking up the loose puck.
Ruff didn't like the first 40 minutes, but was happier with the final 20 minutes from his team.
"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,” Ruff noted.
"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. 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 Western road trip, teams come home and lay an egg in the first game. Buffalo did just that.
You can't lose sight of the fact that Buffalo has points in 14-of-15 games, going 12-1-2 in that stretch. 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 had his best game as a member of the Sabres. He helped settle down a penalty kill that had given 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 currently at .664. Buffalo has a three-point lead, but Tampa Bay has two games in-hand.
Carolina leads the Eastern Conference with a win percentage of .676. They're even in points with the Sabres, but have one game in-hand.
The Lightning will host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, who are in Buffalo on Saturday.
The Sabres are home again on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings.
