The Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators came in to tonight’s game having each won one game against each other this season, each by one goal.
Tonight, they would do their best to keep things close, but the Senators would prevail in a shootout for a 2-1 home win.
The Sabres would take the 1-0 lead in the first thanks to a sadly unlikely source – Matt Moulson took a sick Jack Eichel no-look pass and sniped it past Craig Anderson for his first goal since approximately 1993. The Sens would quickly answer a minute later thanks to Ryan Dzingel, who scored his first NHL goal on a messy goal that snuck past Robin Lehner.
After that…not much happened. The Sabres did outshoot the Sens 39-26, but it wasn’t exactly a thrilling effort. Robin Lehner was excellent tonight, stopping 25 of 26 Ottawa shots, but Craig Anderson was even better, stopping 38 of 39 shots, including two in the shootout, for the win.
The Sabres have a few days off before traveling to St. Louis to face the Blues on Friday.
Three Questions
1. How will the lines be shuffled with Larsson in and Kane out?
Aside from Justin Bailey being demoted to the fourth line in place of Matt Moulson, the lines returned to their pre-injury status. McGinn went to the top line, Girgensons played wing with Eichel, and Larsson centered the third line, the de-facto shut down line.
2. Can the Sabres take advantage of a terrible Ottawa penalty kill?
No, the Sabres went 0-2 on the power play, though they also held the Sens scoreless in Ottawa’s two power plays.
3. Will anyone reach the 18 goal mark tonight?
Nope.
Comment of the Game
There you go O-Town.
You were just jinx’n him by putting him in your bold baseless
Good work, O-Town.
Highlights
Coming soon.