FINAL: BUF 2 DET 1
SHOTS: BUF 30 DET 35
POWER PLAY: BUF 2/2 DET 0/4
HITS: BUF 25 DET 21
BLOCKED SHOTS: BUF 16 DET 10
GOALS:
BUF: Jack Eichel (21) assisted by Ryan O’Reilly (31) and Rasmus Ristolainen (39)
BUF: Matt Moulson (14) assisted by Tyler Ennis (6) and Jake McCabe (16)
DET: Tomas Tatar (21) assisted by Mike Green (21) and Henrik Zetterberg (45)
LINES:
O’Reilly-Eichel-Ennis
Kane-Girgensons-Moulson
Bailey-Reinhart-Gionta
Foligno-Rodrigues-Fasching
Gorges-Ristolainen
McCabe-Nelson
Austin-Bogosian
Lehner
Recap:
With Buffalo’s defensive corps banged up, the Sabres had to recall Casey Nelson and Brady Austin. Brady Austin played in his first career NHL game tonight. It didn’t take Austin long to make an impact. He had a huge hit on Justin Abdelkader on his first shift.
It’s always nice to hear Pierre McGuire talk about how good Jack Eichel and all of Buffalo’s young players are. I’ll never get tired of it.
Jack Eichel took a high sticking penalty on his former teammate from his days from the United States National Team Development Program, Dylan Larkin. Larkin sold that high stick very well.
Mike Green took a hooking penalty on Jack Eichel and Buffalo would get their first power play of the game. The Sabres have the 2nd ranked power play in the league and they sit only behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryan O’Reilly fed the puck to Jack Eichel on the off wing and he smashed the puck past Mrazek to make it 1-0. Sam Reinhart was camped in front of the net and screened the Detroit netminder. That goal was Jack’s 29th point in his last 23 games but he still continuously gets left out of the discussion of the great young players in the league. Eichel is now the 2nd player in Sabres history to have at least 50 points in each of his 1st 2 seasons.
With just under 2 minutes to go in the 1st period, Ryan O’Reilly made a great pass to Tyler Ennis and Enzo was robbed as Petr Mrazek dove across to keep it a 1-0 game.
Shortly after that, Robin Lehner made a terrific right pad save on Frans Nielson. Robin’s great save would keep it a 1-0 game heading into the 2nd period.
Midway through the 2nd period, Sam Reinhart dangled his way around the Wing’s defense and had a great scoring chance but he was denied by Mrazek.
O’Reilly was tripped up by Tomas Tatar along the boards and the Sabres would go to their 2nd power play of the game. On that power play, Buffalo worked the puck around very nicely and Matty Moulson buried the puck past Mrazek in front of the net. That was Moulson’s 14th goal of the season. 11 of Moulson’s 14 goals were power play goals.
With 7 minutes to go in the 2nd period, Mike Green fed Tomas Tatar with a cross crease pass and Tatar had an easy tap in goal to put the Wings on the board. The score would stay 2-1 heading into the 3rd period. The Sabres have continued their trend of panicking after having a 2 goal lead.
Josh Gorges went to the room after getting an elbow to the face from Tomas Tatar. Gorges did return shortly after getting hurt. Gorges does get his fair share of hate from Sabres fans but you have to admit that he is one of if not the toughest players on Buffalo at the moment. Right after Gorges returned to the ice he took a hooking penalty in typical Josh Gorges fashion and went to the box.
With under 7 minutes to go in regulation time, the Wings iced the puck but the very intelligent National Hockey League referees didn’t call it and right after that, Brady Austin took a penalty and the Wings got yet another power play.
With 1:30 to go in the 3rd, the Wings pulled Mrazek to get the extra attacker.Robin Lehner even tried shooting it into the empty net. Wow, that would’ve bee something if he could’ve scored. Tomas Tatar had a wide open net but he couldn’t settle the pass and couldn’t get the shot off. The Sabres couldn’t score on the empty net and Buffalo would win this one by a score of 2-1. They will face the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night in Buffalo.
