So Close to a Sweep
Score: Buffalo Sabres 3-4 OT Toronto Maple Leafs
Shots: BUF 26-22 TOR
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Thompson 3rd (Kulich, Samuelsson) Byram 1st (Timmins, McLeod) Thompson 4th PPG (Dahlin, Benson)
Toronto Maple Leafs Goals: Robertson 1st (Cowan, Matthews) Maccelli 2nd (Tavares, Knies) Joshua 2nd (McCabe, Carlo) Tavares 5th (Knies)
Even Up 1: Sabres Skating, Leafs Physical
The Sabres came to play in the first few minutes, getting good zone entries and a few decent shots on net. But on Toronto’s first quality chance, Buffalo took a penalty as Josh Dunne got an interference call. The Sabres’ PK was up to the challenge, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen making a nice stop. Soon after, Jake McCabe went off for a high stick on Jiri Kulich. Buffalo looked mostly disorganized until the waining moments when they got a few shots off. Toronto went on to kill it.
Another Leaf headed to the box three minutes later, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson called for cross-checking. Buffalo looked much better this time, with Jason Zucker hitting the crossbar and the team getting some good chances. Close, but no cigar. The Sabres rode the momentum though and not long after, Tage Thompson, awake from his slumber, netted his 2nd goal in two games. A nice pass from Kulich cross ice allowed TNT to rip one for his 3rd of the year.
Toronto, feeling the pressure of their slow start, started getting physical. And the Sabres really felt it. Jake McCabe rocked Bo Byram with a hard, high spinning hit that left the Sabres’ defensman woozy. It looked like a hit to the head. Alex Tuch stepped in to defend his fallen teammate but got caught up in a fight…and got rocked himself. Tuch took one on the chin and went down hard. To his credit, he got right back up and skated to the box. To add insult to injury, he got a very questionable instigating call. This is an issue that still plagues the team somewhat. They have more grit, but no real heavyweights on the team with Greenway still out. You don’t want one of your main offensive weapons scrapping if you can help it.
Toronto would score late in the period to tie it, with Nicholas Robertson getting his 1st of the year. It was a tough goal to give up late in the first frame. The Sabres played a strong period, with a 12- 5 shots advantage and a territorial edge. But they lost the lead and came out hurting in more ways than one. Tage Thompson got injured somewhere along the line, and was seen struggling on the bench. So three Sabres were shook up after one period but all would play on.
Even Up 2: Both Teams Battling Hard
The Sabres came out in the 2nd a little more tentative after that rough first. Matias Maccelli would score in under 2 minutes to give Toronto the lead. It was only the 7th shot on UPL, but he didn’t get much help on the play either. Buffalo then took an unnecessary cross-checking penalty from Samuelsson but the Sabres killed it off.
The Blue and Gold finally found some life when Zach Benson starting doing Zach Benson things. He went to the net hard as usual, lost the puck out front but Jiri Kulich fired home what looked like the tying goal. Zach Benson things go both ways though, as we all know. The refs determined Taz interfered with the goalie as he did make contact. No goal, of course.
The Sabres did make it count before the period ended. Bo Byram ripped a shot through a screen, (Tuch) for his 1st of the year. It was a much needed answer to all the Toronto (team) and Toronto (headquarters) momentum. Buffalo moved the puck around well before the shot, with Timmins and McLeod picking up the assists. The Leafs had the edge in shots in the 2nd, 11 -6. Luukkonen had a few good saves in the period, his first action of the year.
Minus 1: TNT Explosion, UPL Implosion
It was a chippy, defensive effort on both sides to start the 3rd, neither team getting off many shots. This was anyone’s game. Then the Sabres went to work, a fast cycling shift by the 4th line that pinned Toronto in their zone for over a minute. This forced the Leafs into a penalty, with Simon Benoit tripping a hard working Josh Dunne. Tage Thompson and the Sabres would make them pay. Dahlin’s point shot came back out to TNT, who spun and scored his 4th of the season. A HUGE power play goal that the team needed. Dahlin and Benson would assist on Tage’s 4th of the year.
Things were flowing nicely for Buffalo until UPL let a long, mostly unscreened shot slip under his glove. Dakota Joshua got his 2nd of the season and 2nd against the Sabres with 6:50 left in the game. That was a goal Luukkonen wants back. He was fairly OK until that point, but he showed some rust there. It was extremely costly to the good effort the team put in.
Both teams had a few chances late but no high quality shots. Like most closely contested games, this one was destined for overtime. A winner didn’t take long. The Sabres controlled the puck to start OT and had several high quality chances. But all it took was a John Tavares on a slight angle breakaway to beat UPL and win it for Toronto. Hard to fault the goalie directly but breakaway stops have never been his strong point. His wiff on the 3rd goal was the setup and this non stop in OT was the killer. It never should have got to that point, frankly. The Sabres have been getting TIMELY saves this season until this heart-breaking disappointment. It’s hard not to notice the netminder playing when it did happen.
The Good news? Buffalo picks up 3 of 4 points from the Leafs and remain ahead of them after yesterday’s home victory. It’s a letdown to let this one slip away, no doubt. Something tells me we will see Alex Lyon back in goal next time out.
Final Thoughts:
This was a hard fought, physical game. Both teams were working and both had an equal chance at the win. The Sabres wore those big boy pants I’ve been talking about for weeks now, as they grinded out a point on the road.
We can all be thankful that Bo Byram, Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson avoided serious injury after that rough 1st period. The Sabres can ill afford any more as Greenway and Kesselring inch their way back into the lineup. Kozak, Bryson, Norris and Danforth remain out.
Buffalo’s next game is Tuesday, Oct. 28th at Keybank Center as the Sabres host Columbus.