The Buffalo Sabres had everything in their favor tonight as the Vancouver Canucks came to town. The visitors were playing on back to back nights off of a 6-3 loss and playing their third game in four nights. Yet the Canucks were the far better team throughout the night.
The Sabres got off to a good start with a Justin Bailey goal just one minute into the game. However, from that point on it was all Vancouver. Markus Granlund would score his first of the season by putting a loose puck by Johnson. The Canucks would hold a 17 to 5 lead in shots after the first period. Although they dominated the period, Jack Eichel went end to end at the end of the period to give the Sabres the 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
In the second things went from bad to worse. Derek Dorsett would take advantage of a Sabres power play to score a short-handed goal to tie the game at two. This is the sixth shorthanded goal of the season given up and yes I did word that last sentence that way on purpose.
The third goal of the game by the Canucks was very controversial. Prior to Daniel Sedin scoring the goal Jake Virtanen appeared to be offsides on the play. After a lengthy review, it was determined that the play was onside and the goal stood. At one point in the second period, the Canucks led the shot count 30-8.
The final 20 minutes didn’t give much action. The Sabres came close a few times but were unable to get the equalizer. Housley went down to three lines in the third and sat Kyle Okposo on the bench for the majority of the second and third period.
Only eight games in things are starting to crumble around the season already. The club will head to Boston tomorrow night where things could get worse. It also appears they’ll be down another defenseman with Nathan Beaulieu suffering an upper-body injury and being listed as day to day.
What to Watch
1. Can the Sabres jump on the Canucks early?
Well, for about five minutes they did.
2. Justin Bailey getting a chance in the top six.
Bailey scored his second of the season and was one of the better players on the ice tonight.
3. Victor Antipin is free.
Antipin played just over 11 minutes and was a +1 on the night.