FINAL: BUF 5 NSH 4 OT
SHOTS: BUF 37 NSH 39
POWER PLAY: BUF 0/2 NSH 1/3
HITS: BUF 20 NSH 24
BLOCKED SHOTS: BUF 14 NSH 14
GOALS:
NSH: Filip Forsberg (15) assisted by Calle Jarnkrok (6) and Matt Irwin (7)
BUF: Zemgus Girgensons (6) assisted by Evander Kane (8) and Cody Franson (10)
NSH: Cody McLeod (3) assisted by Yannick Weber (5)
BUF: Jack Eichel (11) assisted by Cody Franson (11) and Zach Bogosian (4)
NSH: Victor Arvidsson (12) assisted by Ryan Johansen (28) and James Neal (7)
NSH: James Neal (17) assisted by Calle Jarnkrok (7) and Mike Riberio (21)
BUF: Brian Gionta (11) assisted by Zemgus Girgensons (7)
BUF: Kyle Okposo (15) assisted by Sam Reinhart (20)
RECAP:
The Sabres have won two overtime games in a row beating the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres had a chance to win three games in a row for the first time until October. Dmitry Kulikov made his return to the lineup and for some reason, Dan Bylsma decided that it was a good idea to scratch Will Carrier to put Nic Deslauriers in the lineup.
Kulikov was hit from behind by Cody McLeod and Marcus Foligno responded to the hit by fighting McLeod. I really didn’t like that Foligno made the decision to fight while the Sabres had some good pressure in the Nashville zone. He should’ve waited until there was a whistle. The Sabres would get a 5 on 3 power play for 16 seconds and I don’t think they were even able to register a shot while they had the 2 man advantage.
For the first time this season, the Sabres gave up a short-handed goal. Calle Jarnkrok and Filip Forsberg had a 2 on 1 and Forsberg beat Lehner.
Jack Eichel was not very good at all in the first period. He had a couple bad giveaways and he failed to keep the puck in the offensive zone on the power play. But Eichel played much better after that 1st period.
Overall that was a very bad first period by the Sabres.
Midway through the 2nd period Cody Franson took a slap-shot from the point, Evander Kane tipped it on goal, and Zemgus Girgensons put it in the net to tie the game at 1. Girgensons has been playing much better since Johan Larsson was injured.
Cody McLeod was able to squeak the puck past Lehner’s skate to give Nashville the lead. Initially the goal did not count because the referee thought he blew the whistle before the puck crossed the goal line but after a review it was determined that it was a good goal. That was certainly a shot that Lehner needs to stop.
But just minutes later Cody Franson put the puck on Juuse Saros who let out a rebound right to Jack Eichel who then put the puck in the net to tie the game at 2. Cody Franson had another nice game today. He picked up a couple of assists and he is definitely raising his trade value.
Justin Falk took a delay of game penalty and just seconds into Nashville’s power play, Victor Arvidsson gave Nashville the 3-2 lead.
James Neal scored with about ten minutes to go in the game and the Sabres used their offside challenge but it was determined that it was a good goal.
Seconds later Sam Reinhart put the puck on net and Foligno kicked it into the net. Because Foligno used a distinct kicking motion the goal did not count.
With minutes to go, Zemgus Girgensons found Brian Gionta wide open on the other side of the net and the captain put the puck in the wide open net and the Sabres now had about 5 minutes left in the game to tie it up.
With just 1 minute left in regulation, Kyle Okposo put the puck past Saros off of a nice pass by Samson Reinhart for his 15th goal of the year and Buffalo would bring this game to overtime.
The Sabres dominated in overtime and Jack Eichel had a terrific end to end goal to seal the deal for the Sabres. The Sabres have won three games in a row and all three of those games have ended in overtime.
The Sabres face the Dallas Stars in Dallas on Thursday night and Buffalo will go for 4 wins in a row for the first time this season.
You’re on top of the game. Thanks for shanirg.