| Los Angeles Kings vs Buffalo Sabres | ||||
| Team | P1 | P2 | P3 | Total |
 Los Angeles Kings | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
 Buffalo Sabres | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Current Status: Final | ||||
Score: Sabres 5 | Kings 3
Shots: BUF 37 | LA 40
Buffalo Sabres Goals:
- Peterka (Cozens)
- Peterka (Quinn)
- Quinn (Mittelstadt, R. Johnson)
- Tuch (Robinson, Krebs)
- Cozens (Peterka, Quinn)
Los Angeles Kings Goals:
- Kopitar (Kempe, Roy)
- Kempe (Doughty, Byfield)
- Dubois (Laferriere, Clarke)
Minus 1: 10 Minutes of Pain
The most consistent part of Buffalo’s season has been how bad they start games, and this was no exception. This game started with 3 goals allowed on the first 6 shots with two beating Levi clean. Levi did settle down and improve to make 31 straight saves. This probably prevented a one-way trip to Rochester for the young goaltender. However, he wasn’t the only one to struggle early. Nearly the entire roster looked unprepared to start this game. After being defeated by the Ducks, the hope was that the Sabres would come out flying for redemption. Fortunately, the brutal start was not too much to overcome.
Plus 1: Comeback Kids are Back
Last year, the Sabres would find themselves behind the eight ball but claw their way back to secure points. This season, there have been plenty of poor starts, but they haven’t shown the resilience of the previous season. They were able to recapture some of their previous magic with this one. After carrying a 2-goal deficit into the first intermission, Buffalo came out flying in the second. They were relentless on the forecheck and put the Kings back on their heels. They put the pressure on a struggling Cam Talbot, and it resulted in 4 straight goals. The shot mentality was particularly effective for Quinn and Cozens who got clean looks in the high slot and were able to rip the puck by Talbot. Hopefully, this can be a sign of things to come and not only a blast from the past.
Plus 2: Quinn and Peterka to the Rescue
The first two draft picks made by Kevyn Adams showed up for this one. Peterka was a force all night while scoring two goals, adding an assist, and drawing multiple penalties. Quinn sprung Peterka for his second goal with a breakaway pass and added a goal of his own moments later with a snipe from the slot. They both assisted on Cozens’ 3rd period tally. Peterka is now on pace to more than double his goal total from last year. Quinn is now on pace to get within a couple of points of his total from last year despite losing an offseason and the first half of this season to a torn achillies. In a season marred by underperformance, these young players have continued to improve.
Final Thoughts
This game was nearly over before it started. For most of the season, the wheels would’ve fallen off after the Kings made it 3-1 halfway through the 1st. However, Buffalo didn’t fold and came back swinging. Levi turned what could have been a disastrous outing into a very good performance. Cozens seems to be slowly finding his game after struggling for most of this season with his contractual expectations. Quinn and Peterka continue to take their game to new heights. If the Sabres take care of business in San Jose, they may take some momentum back to Buffalo after a rough start to the road trip.