Sabres VS Sharks Game Recap 3/14/17

FINAL: BUF 1 SJS 4
SHOTS: BUF 23 SJS 42
POWER PLAY: BUF 0/1 SJS 1/3
HITS: BUF 27 SJS 25
BLOCKED SHOTS: BUF 22 SJS 16

GOALS:
BUF: Jack Eichel (20) assisted by Matt Moulson (15) and Josh Gorges (4)
SJS: Joe Pavelski (27) assisted by Logan Couture (26) and Joe Thornton (40)
SJS: Michael Haley (2) assisted by Eichel and Franson
SJS: Joe Pavelski (28) assisted by Jannik Hansen (9) and Dylan DeMelo (5)
SJS: Logan Couture (24) assisted by Joel Ward (19) and Patrick Marleau (17)

LINES:
Kane-O’Reilly-Gionta
Moulson-Eichel-Reinhart
Foligno-Girgensons-Bailey
Deslauriers-Rodrigues-Ennis
McCabe-Ristolainen
Falk-Bogosian
Gorges-Franson
Lehner

RECAP:

The Sabres for some reason seem to always beat the San Jose Sharks. Last time these 2 teams faced each other, Buffalo made a great 3rd period comeback and ended up winning the game in overtime.

Jack Eichel lit the lamp early on in the game. Gorges put the puck on net, Moulson recovered the rebound and threw the puck across the crease to Eichel, and Jack ripped the puck past Jones. Eichel has now hit the 20 goal mark for the 2nd consecutive season. Jack Eichel and Pierre Turgeon are the only 2 Sabres of all time to record 2 20 goal seasons before the age of 21. Jack is also the 6th American born player to record multiple 20 goal seasons by the age of 20.

Midway through the 1st, Marcus Sorensen scored to tie the game at 1 but, Brent Burns interfered with Robin Lehner so the goal didn’t count. San Jose did use their coaches challenge and the call on the ice didn’t change.

Lehner was tested in that 1st period. At one point the Sharks were outshooting Buffalo 16-5. Lehner also robbed Brent burns to keep Buffalo up 1-0.

With 2 minutes to go in the 1st period, Ryan O’Reilly was hauled down by Justin Braun and there was no penalty called.

Robin Lehner was great in the 1st. He stopped all 20 shots he faced in the 1st. Buffalo only had 9 shots through 20 minutes.

Justin Falk took a holding penalty and the Sharks would get a 3rd chance to face Buffalo’s 28th ranked penalty kill. Logan Couture fed Joe Pavelski who was alone in the slot and little Joe ripped the puck past Robin Lehner to tie the game at 1.

Justin Braun was finally given a penalty after holding Zemgus Girgensons and Buffalo would get their 1st power play of the game. buffalo has the 1st ranked power play in the NHL. The Sabres had a few good chances but they couldn’t capitalise on the man advantage.

Late in the 2nd period, Robin Lehner robbed Brent Burns for the 2nd time of the game. With 49 seconds to go in the 2nd period, Franson passed it to Eichel from behind the net and the puck bounced off of Eichel’s skate and into the net and the Sharks took the 2-1 lead heading into the 3rd period.

Eichel had a breakaway early in the 3rd but was stopped by Jones. Shortly after that Joe Pavelski beat Lehner to make it 3-1 after the point shot hit Josh Gorges.

Buffalo had a nice rush with 5 minutes left in the 3rd, San Jose made a nice transition, and Logan Couture scored to make it 4-1.

Lehner was great tonight and that’s about it. The Sabres got throttled for most if not all of the game and the clock is ticking on Dan Bylsma’s tenure as the Buffalo Sabres head coach.