FINAL: BUF 6 ARI 3
SHOTS: BUF 41 ARI 22
POWER PLAY: BUF 2/4 ARI 0/2
HITS: BUF 25 ARI 14
BLOCKED SHOTS: BUF 8 ARI 15
GOALS:
ARI: Teemu Pulkkinen (2) assisted by Max Domi (20) and Christian Dvorak (13)
BUF: Marcus Foligno (11) assisted by Ryan O’Reilly (27) and Rasmus Ristolainen (34)
BUF: Ryan O’Reilly (14) assisted by Jack Eichel (24) and Kyle Okposo (23)
ARI: Tobias Rieder (14) unassisted
BUF: Jack Eichel (15) assisted by Sam Reinhart (25) and Kyle Okposo (24)
ARI: Alex Goligoski (3) assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson (24) and Tobias Rieder (13)
BUF: Evander Kane (23) assisted by Ryan O’Reilly (28) and Jake McCabe (13)
BUF: Marcus Foligno (12) assisted by Jack Eichel (25)
BUF: Sam Reinhart (15) unassisted
LINES:
Ennis-O’Reilly-Okposo
Foligno-Eichel-Reinhart
Kane-Girgensons-Gionta
Bailey-Rodrigues-Gionta
McCabe-Ristolainen
Kulikov-Bogosian
Gorges-Franson
Lehner
RECAP:
8 minutes into the 1st period, Ryan O’Reilly had a nice scoring chance. Immediately after that, Max Domi game the puck to Teemu Pulkkinen on a cross-crease pass and the Coyote’s took the 1-0 lead. Pulkkinen was acquired from the Minnesota Wild last week for future considerations.
The While shorthanded, Ryan O’Reilly fought off 3 Coyotes, and he gave the puck to Marcus Foligno who beat Smith to tie the game at 1. This was the Sabres 2nd shorthanded goal of the season. Foligno has now reached a career high in goals with 11 on the season.
Teemu Pulkkinen took a penalty late in the 1st period and the Sabres would strat the 2nd period on the power play. On that power play, Jack Eichel made a great pass to Ryan O’Reilly and ROR beat Smith on the one-timer to give the Sabres the 2-1 lead.
Shortly after that, Lawson Crouse went to the box and the Sabres got another power play. Tobias Rieder was in alone on Lehner, Robin attempted a poke check and missed, and Rieder beat Lehner clean to tie the game at 2. Both the Coyotes and the Sabres scored a short-handed goal tonight.
Brendan Perlini went to the box and the Sabres headed to the power play again. Sam Reinhart made a great pass to Jack Eichel and Jack made a beautiful one-timer on the off wing to put Buffalo up 3-2.
The Sabres outshot the Yotes 31-10 through 40 minutes but somehow the Sabres were only up 3-2.
Kyle Okposo wasn’t on the bench at the start of the 3rd period. He took a big hit in the 2nd period.
Despite being completely dominated throughout most if not all of the game, the Coyotes tied this game up at 3. Robin Lehner had about 5 players screening him and Alex Goligoski ripped a slap shot into the net to tie the game.
Evander Kane scored his 23rd goal of the season to put Buffalo up 4-3. O’Reilly made a magnificent pass to Evander in the slot and Kaner ripped the puck past the all-star, Mike Smith.
And Marcus Foligno sealed the deal as he backhanded the puck into the empty net for his 12th goal of the season. Foligno had a very nice game tonight.
Sam Reinhart also scored an empty-netter in the dying seconds of the 3rd period, Buffalo wins 6-3 and they finally ended their losing streak. The Sabres will face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.
