No Wins in Sight Despite Strong Effort
Score: Sabres 2 | Jets 3
Shots: BUF 30 | WPG 31
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Thompson (14) Cozens (6)
Winnipeg Jets Goals: Vilardi (10) Connor (14) Lowry (7)
Plus 1: A Spirited First Period
Nobody knew which Sabres team we would see against the Jets on Thursday night. Colorado put on a Rocky Mountain Horror Show in Buffalo on Tuesday night, a meltdown performance we won’t soon forget. The team and the fans were beyond demoralized after that crushing loss. But Buffalo still came to play in the first period of this game with a spirited effort against Winnipeg.
Tage Thompson opened the scoring on the power play with a bullet wrist shot that beat Connor Hellebuyck. The Jets answered soon after with a quick goal that eluded Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Lindy Ruff mistakenly challenged the goal for goaltender interference, with only a brush bump to UPL’s glove. The goal stood. But the Sabres battled on. Dylan Cozens later scored his 6th of the season with a nice pass from Zach Benson on the rush.
The Sabres showed some more spirit when Buffalo’s Dennis Gilbert took on big boy Logan Stanley in a fight. Later, Connor Clifton delivered a crunching hit along the wall at the blue line. All in all, after the meltdown against the Avalanche, Buffalo played a pretty strong first period. They were rewarded with a 2-1 lead at the intermission. They also killed off all 3 Winnipeg power plays while scoring on their own one chance.
Dylan Cozens, 2-1 #sabrehood #gojetsgo pic.twitter.com/CchuhQFXM3
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) December 6, 2024
Minus 1: Double Whammy!
Early in the second period, Tage Thompson and Jacob Bryson both took minor penalties in the same sequence. The Jets now had a 5 on 3 advantage for a full 2 minutes. Winnipeg cashed in when Kyle Connor scored to even the game up at 2-2. Later in the period, Rochester call-up Tyson Kozak appeared to have scored his first NHL goal. It put Buffalo back in the lead…but hold the phone! Another goaltender interference challenge, this time from the Jets. The call from Toronto once again went against Buffalo. Beck Malenstyn brushed up on Hellebuyck while skating across the crease and also being pushed by a Winnipeg defender. No goal. The crowd let their feelings be known and poor Tyson’s parents (who were in attendance) got robbed of this moment. These calls are so subjective and really hurt the integrity of the game with the lack of consistency. We are all tied up at 2 after 2.
Minus 2: The Gods Say No
The Sabres played a solid third period, buckled down defensively and had a 7-3 shots advantage in the frame. But both teams were held without a goal. So to overtime we go. Buffalo looked a little disjointed in the extra session and never really threatened to score. They also turned the puck over easily a few times and it cost them. Winnipeg got a 2 on 0 break on Luukkonen , with Bo Byram in hot pursuit. UPL made a great save but the rebound found it’s way over to Adam Lowry who shot it home. It’s a 3-2 final and the Sabres are now without a win for 5 straight games. They do collect their loser point at least.
Final Thoughts
The Sabres probably deserved a better fate in this one. They put forth a strong effort against one of the better teams in the Western Conference. Still, a loss is a loss. The team has spiraled downward since they moved 2 games over .500 not long ago. They consistently drop the ball when the chance for success is there for the taking.
Buffalo played without Rasmus Dahlin as he deals with his back spasm issues. Jack Quinn was sat as Lindy Ruff finally benched the struggling young player. The good news? Jordan Greenway and Mattias Samuelsson are both skating again and both players are expected back sooner than expected.
Next up, the Sabres play the Utah Hockey Club in a 1 pm afternoon game at KeyBank Center on Saturday.