Sabres at Flames recap: Offensive explosion gives Sabres 6-3 win

The narrative coming into tonight’s game was the Buffalo Sabres and their lack of goal scoring in recent games. Four games with four goals, including two shutouts, and a lack of scoring from their big name player was making Sabres fans antsy in their pantsy for some goals.

Tonight, Buffalo gave their hometown fans all they could handle, tying a season high with six goals in a 6-3 smacking of the Calgary Flames.

Things didn’t start well for the Sabres, or for fans of exciting hockey, for that matter, as both teams struggled to get shots on goal, and the Sabres were held scoreless for the first thirty minutes. Calgary opened the scoring in the second period thanks to Mikael Backlund, but the Sabres would tie the game thanks to Rasmus Ristolainen’s first goal since January.

Later in the second, the floodgates would open in a crazy, 90-second sequence that saw the Flames score once and Buffalo score twice thanks to beautiful goals from Nicolas Deslauriers and a sick shorthanded goal from Marcus Foligno – honestly, anything I could say wouldn’t do these goals justice, just watch the highlights below.

Calgary would score the first goal of the third on a boring shot by Sean Monahan, but the Sabres would score the next three goals – a game winner from Johan Larsson, a powerplay goal from Jack Eichel, and an empty netter from Evander Kane – to seal the 6-3 win.

Despite the final score, this wasn’t a perfect game from the Sabres. Tonight’s game was sloppy, Calgary goaltender Jonas Hiller played poorly, and the Sabres were given seven power plays to try and score until Eichel finally cashed in on the eighth, but it was still nice to see the floodgates finally open after a bit of a drought.

The Sabres will try to extend their winning streak on Saturday when they face some old friends, as the Minnesota Wild come to town.

Three Questions

1. Who’s gonna score?

Everyone! The Sabres got goals from Larsson, Foligno, Deslauriers, Ristolainen, Eichel, and Kane. Big stars and role players contributed tonight, and the team tied a season high with six goals. When it rains, it pours.

2. How will Ristolainen follow up his last performance against the Flames?

Risto scored again tonight, giving him four goals against the Flames in two games this season.

3. Can Robin Lehner continue to be the Sabres best player?

Lehner was not his usual stonewall self tonight, letting in three goals on 28 shots, but it’s amazing what a little goal support will do.

Comment of the Game