The Buffalo Sabres are now 12 games and three weeks removed from their last victory after a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
The game did not get off on the right foot for the Sabres, namely Taylor Hall. While attempting to battle in front of the Devils' net, Hall was cross-checked from behind and fell mouth-first into a Colin Miller slap shot.
Hall was immediately guided off the ice and taken to the training room. He did not return until the start of the second period.
Things got worse for Buffalo when New Jersey hurt them on the scoreboard, as rookie forward Yegor Sharangovich broke the scoreless affair. His sixth goal of the season came with 2:20 to play in the opening frame, assisted by Damon Severson and veteran Travis Zajac.
The Sabres had a response in the second period, as the team scored twice in a span of 57 seconds to claim their first lead of the night. Tobias Rieder's fifth goal of the season evened the score, before Jeff Skinner turned the tides and made it 2-1 with his second of the campaign.
Those tides quickly evened back out when Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen blasted a shot that beat Jonas Johansson to knot the score at 2-2 near the halfway point of the middle stanza.
New Jersey converted on a power play opportunity to seize the lead back in the third period of play, when forward Miles Wood tipped in a shot off the stick of teammate Jesper Bratt.
That special teams goal for the Devils proved to be the game-winner, as the Sabres could not find the equalizer in the waning minutes of regulation.
Buffalo's free fall continued as they dropped to 6-18-4 at the official midway point of the 56-game 2020-21 season.
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GAME SUMMARY
Goal Summary:
First Period:
BUF: NONE
NJD: 17:40 - Yegor Sharangovich (6) (Damon Severson, Travis Zajac)
Second Period:
BUF: 6:13 - Tobias Rieder (5) (Brandon Montour, Kyle Okposo); 7:10 - Jeff Skinner (2) (Casey Mittelstadt, Brandon Montour)
NJD: 10:39 - Sami Vatanen (1) (Janne Kuokkanen, Ryan Murray)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
NJD: 4:52 - Miles Wood (9) PPG (Jesper Bratt, P.K. Subban)
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Penalty Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 13:30 - Cody Eakin (Hooking - 2 min.)
NJD: 18:15 - Dmitry Kulikov (Holding - 2 min.)
Second Period:
BUF: 11:05 - Jeff Skinner (Roughing - 2 min.)
NJD: 3:51 - Sami Vatanen (Interference - 2 min.); 11:05 - Nathan Bastian (Roughing - 2 min.)
Third Period:
BUF: 3:37 - Colin Miller (Slashing - 2 min.); 6:33 - Brandon Davidson (Slashing - 2 min.)
NJD: NONE
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Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Miles Wood - NJD
2.) Janne Kuokkanen - NJD
3.) Mackenzie Blackwood - NJD
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What's Next:
The blue and gold come back home to Buffalo to welcome the Boston Bruins to KeyBank Center for their first of eight meetings in the 2020-21 season. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET with the Paul William Beltz Pregame Show with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog starting at 6 p.m. ET on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.