It’s funny how opposite both of the Sabres goals were tonight, but they both counted the same. Tyler Ennis‘ highlight-reel goal in the first and Matt Moulson’s open-net goal with one minute left in the game propelled the Sabres to a 2-1 victory.
The Sabres have now won four of their last five games, making tank supporters a tad anxious.
Ennis started the scoring three minutes into the game in highlight-reel fashion. Skating around Alexei Emelin, Ennis was able to keep the puck near enough to hit stick while crossing Carey Price to finish a backhanded no-look goal. It’s most likely the goal of the season so far for the Sabres.
P.A Parenteau knotted things up in the third period, as his final stab at the puck managed to beat the bombarded Jhonas Enroth. Despite Enroth believing that he had the puck covered under his skate, no whistle was blown and the goal was counted.
With just over a minute left in the game the Sabres got a huge break. Moulson, who was unable to capitalize on a few chances earlier in the game, was in the right place at the right time. Ennis’ dump-in bounced off the back boards and away from Price, who had left his net to retrieve it. The puck bounced right onto Moulson’s stick, and he shot it into the open net.
It was a chippy game from start to finish. Brandon Prust and Chris Stewart paired up for quite the long fight in the second period, which arguably ended in a draw. Prust later received an unsportsmanlike conduct minor and a ten-minute game misconduct for something he said to the ref.
Brian Gionta was on the receiving end of a hit to the head by Emelin in the final two minutes of the game. For the second Sabres game in a row a player could be suspended for a hit on a Buffalo player.
Drew Stafford left after the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. With the Sabres playing again tomorrow night they may need to call-up a forward. Leading candidates are Johan Larsson, Tim Schaller, Luke Adam, Joel Armia (although he missed last night’s Amerks game with an injury, or the always looming Mikhail Grigorenko.
Three Questions
1. Will Brian Gionta be able to score against his old team?
Gionta was held off the scoreboard tonight, but the small forward was very involved in the skirmishes. Besides the previously mentioned Emelin hit, he also exchanged some pleasantries with his former teammate P.K. Subban after the whistle in the first period.
4. How will Tyler Myers look in his first game back from injury?
Myers didn’t lose a step, and was right back to being the Sabres leader in ice time. He played over 27 minutes.
3. Will the Sabres get back to their winning ways?
It may not have been entirely earned, but yes. Just because the last goal was a fluke doesn’t mean the Sabres played a bad game, in fact they did control the play for much of the second period. However, the Habs were starting to come to life in the third. Enroth made some very nice saves, and was a big reason for the Sabres victory tonight. He made 31 saves and earned the victory. Whether or not he plays tomorrow is still up in the air.