FINAL: BUF 4 OTT 0
SHOTS: BUF 26 OTT 37
POWER PLAY: BUF 0/0 OTT 0/2
HITS: BUF 28 OTT 26
BLOCKED SHOTS: BUF 17 OTT 7
GOALS:
BUF: Kyle Okposo (16) assisted by Justin Falk (4) and Josh Gorges (2)
BUF: Ryan O’Reilly (10) assisted by Rasmus Ristolainen (26) and Tyler Ennis (3)
BUF: Sam Reinhart (11) assisted by Jack Eichel (10)
BUF: Marcus Foligno (9) assisted by Jack Eichel (11)
RECAP:
The Sabres were all over Ottawa at the start of this game. On just one shift Eichel created three scoring chances. He blew past Erik Karlsson, had a one-timer and hit the post, and found Sam Reinhart in front of the net.
Kyle Okposo beat a couple Sens players and then drew a penalty but he still drove to the net and beat Mike Condon with a backhand shot to give the Sabres the 1-0 lead.
Dan Bylsma made a couple line changes in the 2nd period. Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno got some time with Ryan O’Reilly and Kyle Okposo. Justin Bailey got some time on the Eichel and Reinhart line but Foligno was back on their line later in the 2nd period.
Mark Borowiecki tried taking a run at Jack Eichel.Borowiecki was going after Eichel the whole game so Marcus Foligno fought him and easily beat him.
Late in the 2nd period, Rasmus Ristolainen took a shot from the point and Ryan O’Reilly redirected the puck past Condon for his 10th goal of the season.
In the last minute of the 2nd frame, Jack Eichel dangled his way past the Senator’s defense but he fired the puck wide of the net. Then Robin Lehner made a fantastic save on Mike Hoffman to preserve the 2-0 Buffalo lead.
Jack Eichel made his way through the neutral zone, made the pylon Dion Phaneuf trip, then he found Sam Reinhart in fron of the net. Sam put the puck on net and on his own rebound he dragged the puck then put it in the top corner of the net for his 11th goal of the season.
Minutes later Eichel again picked off a pass from a Senator player and gave the puck to Marcus Foligno who then put the puck through Condon’s 5 hole for his 9th goal of the season. The Senators pulled Mike Condon and replaced him with Andrew Hammond after Foligno’s goal.
The Sabres would keep that 4-0 lead for the rest of the game and Robin Lehner would earn his 1st shutout of the season and his 2nd career shutout and both of those shutouts happen to be against his former team.
I really liked the way they played against the Rangers as well as this game. If they can keep up this strong play they may be able to make a run at a playoff spot. Eichel looked great tonight and he created a ton of scoring chances.
The Sabres play on Monday night against the New Jersey Devils.
