‘We didn’t finish’: Sabres can’t close out against Utah, in fifth consecutive overtime game
The Buffalo Sabres have lost four of their last five games in overtime or in a shootout, after a 2-1 overtime loss Tuesday against Utah.
The Buffalo Sabres found yet another way to leave an NHL arena with at least a point.
Now, the Sabres need to figure out how to earn that second point.
The Sabres went to overtime or a shootout for the fifth consecutive game. They got the security of earning at least one point but left the second point on the table in a 2-1 overtime loss to Utah Tuesday night at KeyBank Center.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) can't stop a shot by Utah Mammoth left winger Clayton Keller (9) in overtime at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Clayton Keller needed less than a minute to make sure of that.
Keller’s goal 47 seconds into overtime ended the Sabres’ attempt at a comeback win, after Noah Ostlund’s first NHL goal at 7:50 of the third period tied the game at 1-1.
The Sabres (5-4-4) have 14 points in their first 13 games, but have earned only a second point once in their last five games, from a 4-3 shootout win Saturday against Washington at KeyBank Center. In those five overtime games, dating back to a 4-3 loss Oct. 25 at Toronto, they’ve earned a sum of six points, including one from Tuesday night’s overtime loss.
“You look at the Toronto game, and we had the opportunities,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “We had the opportunity again tonight. We didn’t finish. The biggest difference is when you get that, you have to finish. If you don’t … the other team, at some point, they’re going to get an opportunity.”
The Sabres have played in five straight overtime games for the first time since March 18-27, 2022. They were 3-2 in that stretch. Now, they’re 1-4 in their last five games that have gone to overtime or to a shootout.
“We’d really would’ve liked the two points, to be honest,” Sabres goalie Alex Lyon said after the loss to the Mammoth. “I think we just need to start finding a way to get that maybe that extra point here and there. I need to start finding a way to get that extra point here and there.”
The Sabres earned one point, but put a season-low total of 18 shots on goal, and Ostlund’s goal was one of three shots the Sabres put on Utah Goalie Karel Vejmelka (17 saves) in the third period. The Mammoth also blocked nine shots, all in regulation.
Strategy changes with both teams at 3-on-3 in five minutes of overtime rather than in 5-on-5 in 60 minutes of regulation. It leaves more open ice and more room for crafty players to maneuver, or to capitalize on mistakes by the opposing defenders.
“Three-on-three is a game of risk management,” Lyon said. “That’s all that it is. It’s a lot about feel and it’s a lot about patience, and there’s sometimes that urge to end the game but really, it’s like playing five-on-five. You just want nothing to happen until they make a mistake, and then you capitalize. That’s kind of the name of the game.”
In overtime, Alex Tuch put the first shot on goal less than 30 seconds in, but after Vejmelka made the stop, Keller carried the puck into the Sabres’ defensive zone, weaved past Tuch and a lunging Jack Quinn, and went through the right circle before slipping a wrist shot by Lyon (32 saves).
“Three-on-three is about winning one-on-one battles,” Ruff said. “We had our chance, and Tuch went down, and our coverage wasn’t good enough. We lost coverage. We let Keller walk in, and he shouldn’t get that easy of a look.”
The passive-slash-defensive approach hasn’t proven profitable for the Sabres. They also need to create more scoring chances in overtime, rather than playing to protect the tie.
The Sabres are scoreless on four shots on goal in 12:15 of overtime play, in that five-game stretch. Their opponents have 12 shots on goal in overtime – and four goals against the Sabres.
“It’s weird and it’s just how seasons go, and weird stuff happens,” Lyon said. “It means that we’re competitive and we’re staying in there. And I always hate to say that, but if we find a way to keep getting points, find a way to continue to stick around, that’s a good thing.
“I also think that the next step is available to us, where maybe we start to take over.”
Now, the Sabres have to take that step.