Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes, I thought the Buffalo Sabres totally understood the assignment and executed what it takes to beat Carolina.
The win helped the Sabres win their fourth game in five contests, and jump out of the cellar in the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo’s points percentage is now .500, which puts them ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs - now dead last in the East at .477 - and the New York Rangers (.478). Buffalo’s next task is to put the Washington Capitals in their sights, as the Caps have a .545 points percentage.
Buffalo has now beaten Carolina in five-straight games at home, and on Sunday, I really liked how they handled their business.
For the second time in three games, the Sabres got a really bad call for goaltender interference, taking a goal off the board. The horrendous call didn’t detour the team from playing their game, as they just went out and killed the penalty for a failed challenge and were fine.
The power play gave the Sabres the lead, as Ryan McLeod was pretty savvy on the play. He was in front and could’ve just tried to score himself, but he got his head up, saw Alex Tuch by himself and gave him the pass for Tuch to toss it into the empty net.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a great game, making 29 saves. The only goal he surrendered was when three players wound up in a heap on top of him, and he wasn’t able to get up.
Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere deposited the power play goal into the empty net.
The only way to beat Carolina is patience and hard work. Hard work put the Sabres in front for good.
Freddie Andersen made two really good saves on McLeod and Jack Quinn, but the line kept working. Jason Zucker retrieved the puck in the corner, went behind the net to the other side to McLeod, and Quinn came fast down the slot for his fifth of the season.
If you’ve seen the Brad May "May-Day" goal, then you’ve seen the goal Beck Malenstyn scored to put the game away. The grinding winger realized he was coming down against a forward in Sebastian Aho, and put the same move May put on Ray Bourque before beating Andersen.
Buffalo got outshot, 13-4, in the third period, but they were never even close to being in trouble. Most of the shots were from distance, and there were hardly any Grade-A chances on Luukkonen.
Tage Thompson then scored the empty-netter, extending his goal streak to six games and seven games out of eight.
With 12 goals in 22 games, Thompson is on a pace for 45 goals this season.
Thompson was very happy with the team’s response against the Chicago Blackhawks after the horrible Calgary Flames game on Wednesday, but after Friday, he said they have to have the same type of response after a win and they got it.
Buffalo is now three points out of a playoff spot with six teams to leap over. One of those teams is the Pittsburgh Penguins, who host the Sabres on Wednesday night.
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