Score: Sabres 4 |Knights 3 (SO)
Shots: BUF 37 | VGK 19
Buffalo Sabres Goals:
- McLeod (Bryson, Byram)
- Zucker (Unassisted) (PPG)
- Dahlin (Byram, Thompson)
- Tuch (Shootout winner)
Vegas Golden Knights:
- Howden (Pearson, Barbashev)
- Dorofeyev (Hertl)
- Eichel (Stone, Pietrangelo)
Plus 1: Best Kind of Defense
The Sabres put on one of their most balanced offensive games this season. They were able to apply consistent pressure on the Knights and forced them to rely on chipping the puck out. Buffalo had double digit shots in each period and kept Vegas to nearly half their total. Lindy Ruff mentioned in his post-game comments that their solid offensive game led to an easier game on the defensive side. It’s much easier to defend when the attacking forwards had to work hard to break the puck out in the first place. Hopefully, Buffalo can replicate this mentality and incorporate it into their game consistently.
Minus 1: Puck management
Dahlin is by far the best defenseman on the Sabres. However, he had a rough time managing the puck in this one. He was on the ice for all three goals, and his turnover at the defensive blue line directly resulted in the Knights’ second goal. Fortunately, this is an outlier for the Sabres captain but it’s a reminder that even the most skilled players can benefit from simplifying their game at times. Dahlin redeemed himself with his one-timer bomb from the point to tie the game late so all is forgiven.
Plus 2: Responding in Kind
The Sabres have lacked appropriate responses this season. Whether it be responding on the scoreboard or physically, Buffalo has lacked a certain fight that successful hockey teams all have. This game was the exception as they erased two Vegas leads and fought twice in response to a brutal hit on Kulich by Howden. Krebs took it upon himself to fight Howden immediately, and Greenway would get into a scrap later with Kolesar. On the scoreboard, the Sabres erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to eventually win in a shootout. McLeod scored a mere 7 seconds after Vegas took a 2-goal lead. Vegas even scored the first goal of the shootout only to have Quinn respond with a slick move to even it up. Buffalo was not going to go away quietly and were eventually rewarded.
Final Thoughts
This was a great home win against a Western Conference powerhouse. They found a way to fight their way back from scoreboard deficits and were willing to stand up for their teammates. Those are two things this team has not done much of this season. Just when fans thought they were about to see their former captain stick it to them again, their current captain came up clutch to tie the game. Then, in the shootout, Eichel had a chance to give the Knights the advantage only to be stopped by UPL. The subsequent Tuch shootout winner against his former team finished the poetic sequence. This is the type of win that can spark a winning streak. It’ll be up to the Sabres to keep the momentum going and end this disappointing season on a better note.