The Buffalo Sabres are 24-24-6, the first time they have been psuedo .500 since January 13th when the team’s record was 19-19-5. They accomplished this with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars. Nathan Gerbe scored the game winning goal in the shootout.
The Stars were able to take advantage of the first two periods, getting out to a 1-0 lead in the first period. Cody McCormick was called for a roughing penalty at the 17:15 mark of the period and Michael Ryder converted 38 seconds later on a tip in. That would be the only goal that both teams would score in the first two periods. Kari Lehtonen had a handful of impressive saves during the first two periods, including one were he stoned Drew Stafford in front of the net with the glove.
The Dallas Stars are dangerous when heading into the third period with a lead. They came into this game 16-0 when leading after two periods. It looked like they would make it 17-0 when Tomas Vincour found the back of the net 4:17 into the period. Back to back games may have taken a toll on the Stars though as the Sabres tied the game up less than a minute later with a Thomas Vanek power play goal. Derek Roy tied the game with 39 seconds left as he wrists a shot past Lehtonen.
In overtime, it looked like it was going to be all over as Thomas Vanek had a fantastic look in front of the net with a few seconds left but Lehtonen lifted the leg in time and stoned Vanek. In the shootout, Brad Boyes and Nathan Gerbe were able to score for Buffalo while it was Jamie Benn for the Stars.
The Sabres now sit 11th in the conference with 54 points, eight points behind eighth place Toronto. The Sabres have to leapfrog ninth place Washington who have 61 points and 10th place Winnipeg who have 58 points. They have a game in hand on the Maple Leafs and two games in hand on the Jets. While the Sabres have won