Sabres’ disappointing OT loss to Lightning a sign of rising expectations: 5 thoughts
It's a mark of how far the Sabres have come that a 3-point swing through Florida is cause for consternation.
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The Sabres stayed in the game against the top team in the Atlantic Division. Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images
The Buffalo Sabres lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in overtime Tuesday night. With a regulation win in their sights, the Sabres allowed the score-tying goal with 26 seconds left in regulation and then made a defensive blunder in overtime to allow Jake Guentzel a clean breakaway for the game-winning goal.
The ending of this game stung for the Sabres. The Lightning largely controlled play throughout the game with a 15-6 advantage in high-danger chances at five-on-five, and still the Sabres had a chance to come away with 2 points. They led twice in the third period. They even outshot the Lightning 5-1 in overtime. But Guentzel made Tampa’s lone shot count, and now the Lightning have a 6-point lead on the Sabres in the Atlantic Division.
The Sabres are also leaving Florida with 3 of a possible 4 points against the Panthers and Lightning on consecutive nights. But, as Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said after the game, “We looked at an opportunity to get 4.”
This team has talked a lot about raising its standard over the last few seasons. But that’s the clearest sign the standard is higher now. Buffalo is 21-4-2 in its last 27 games, in third place in the Atlantic Division and looked like a team that could hang with the best team in the Eastern Conference.
“We’re a fast team and a team that knows we can compete at this level,” Josh Doan told reporters after the game. “That’s why we are where we are in the standings as well as them. We’ve got a good team in here, and we have a lot of belief in our group. That’s a game that shows we’re right there on the road with a top team in the conference.”
There shouldn’t be any mistaking that the Sabres are a legitimate playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. This hot streak is approaching two months and a third of the season now. According to The Athletic’s NHL playoff prediction model, the Sabres entered the day with an 84 percent chance to make the postseason. Only the Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes have a better shot at the postseason.
But the Sabres are no longer content just hanging around with the best teams in the conference. Alex Tuch made it clear last week this team is not just looking to get into the playoffs but also to make a serious run. That’s why the ending of this game didn’t sit right with the Sabres. They had chances to score late in regulation to extend their lead to two goals. They had prime chances in overtime, too.
The good news for the Sabres is that they see the Lightning three more times in the regular season. And they’ve set themselves up to play the most meaningful late-season hockey Buffalo has seen in more than a decade.
Here’s what else we saw in the Sabres’ loss.
Mattias Samuelsson’s breakout continues
One night after he played 27:26 and blocked seven shots in a 5-3 comeback win over the Florida Panthers, Mattias Samuelsson was the Sabres’ best player against the Lightning. He scored the Sabres’ first two goals, both came on impressive wrist shots. The first was an odd-angle shot that sneaked by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Then he beat Vasilevskiy clean with a wrist shot from the slot later in the game. He also could have had an assist when he made a perfect pass to set up Peyton Krebs at the front of the net, but Krebs failed to convert. Samuelsson had another 24:01 of ice time and continues to be a workhorse for the Sabres.Peyton Krebs overtime blunder
On Monday night, Krebs was a hero for the Sabres. On Tuesday, he made a costly error in overtime that led to the game-winning goal. Krebs got caught too far up ice and let Guentzel get behind him for the breakaway that led to the goal. Rasmus Dahlin was battling for possession, so Krebs mistakenly thought the Sabres might get the puck back.It was still too risky a play in overtime. But Krebs isn’t the most experienced overtime player, and it’s fair to question whether he should have been on the ice in that situation.
Another bright spot for the power play
The Sabres got a go-ahead goal in the third period on the power play, and once again it came right at the net front. Tage Thompson set up Doan for a play right in front of the crease.Doan’s ability to fight through traffic and stay heavy on the puck for the goal was impressive. He’s now up to 18 goals this season, with seven of those coming on the power play. Buffalo’s power play has struggled, but in the last couple of games, there have been signs of life.
Colten Ellis kept the Sabres in the game when the skaters got off to a slow start.Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images
Colten Ellis keeps the Sabres in it
Colten Ellis played a solid game, stopping 31 of 35 shots and making 10 saves on the 11 high-danger shots he faced. His rebound control remains a work in progress, but particularly early in the game, Ellis was sharp while the Sabres got off to a slow start.Ellis has been third in Buffalo’s goalie rotation, so this wasn’t an easy spot for him to step in. But he handled himself well. If Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen continues to miss time, Ellis looks capable of handling backup duty as needed with Alex Lyon as the clear starter.