The Buffalo Sabres responded well tonight from their embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Dallas Stars on Saturday afternoon. The bench was shortened early on in the game. After Calgary Flames forward Curtis Lazar put a knee on knee hit on Nathan Beaulieu the two had a mini-altercation. Beaulieu ended having his face driven into the ice and did not return to the game.
The Flames got on the board first with the man advantage. Matthew Tkachuk had a really nice deflection over the shoulder of Chad Johnson and under the bar.
Usually, we see the Sabres give up a goal quickly after they score. On this night, the Flames allowed the quick. Just 24 seconds after they took the lead, Scott Wilson scored his second of the season to knot the game at one and that would be the score after the first 20 minutes.
In the middle frame, Johnson and Mike Smith exchanged making some nice saves in a pretty even period. The Flames put 12 shots on the Sabres net. While the visitors countered with eight of their own. After two we remained tied at one.
Johnson continued to keep the Sabres in the game in the final period. He made some good saves with the Flames pushing for the goal ahead goal. The Sabres got a power play late in the third but were unable to beat Smith.
In the final 30 seconds of the third Mikael Backlund took a pretty bad holding the stick penalty on Zemgus Girgensons. The Flames were able to at least push the game into overtime and get a point.
Just as the penalty expired Jack Eichel blew a one-timer between the legs of Smith for the game-winning goal. A nice bounce-back game for the Sabres after being called out by their coach.
Final Score: Sabres 2, Flames 1 (OT)
Shots on Goal: Sabres 33 | Flames 33
Sabres Goal Scorers: Wilson (2) and Eichel (19)
Flames Goal Scorers: Tkachuk (14)
Three Stars of the Game
1. Chad Johnson (32 saves on 33 shots)
2. Jack Eichel (1 G, GWG, 7 SOG, 13 SA)
3. Mike Smith (31 saves on 33 shots)
Comment of the Game
Eichel now has 45 points in 47 games
6 straight games with a point.
10 points (4G 6A) during that span
”What’s that? Ah — Playoffs?” – ‘17-’18 Buffalo Sabres