In Buffalo, the Colorado Avalanche got a third period goal from Alex Newhook to snap a 3-3 tie with the Sabres and help send the Avs to a 5-3 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Avs have won seven straight on the road.
“To be able to string together seven in a row, at a tough time in the year, I think it kind of shows that we can play our game, not just in our building, but on the road as well,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said.
Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves in the Colorado win.
“I think there’s still a lot that we know we can play better, especially against every opponent,” Newhook said. “I think sometimes our approach can be a little different, but we’re finding ways to win and that’s what’s most important right now for us.”
Buffalo’s Tage Thompson hot for his first career NHL hat trick.
“Losing [stinks],” Thompson said. “It never feels good to lose, but I think the team responded well. After last game (a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday), that’s not our standard. That’s not what we’re about and everyone in the room knows that. I think we showed up today with the right attitude, the right mindset and the focus going into the game. We played a full 60. That was the outcome. The effort was there, but the result [stinks].”
The Avs improved to 36-9-4.
Nathan MacKinnon and J.T. Compher scored around Thompson’s first goal for a 2-1 lead to the Avs.
“I liked him a lot,” Bednar said of Compher. “I thought he was really competitive. He looked quicker, the quickest we’ve seen in a while. Engaged right off the bat, right from the drop of the puck.”
Nazem Kadri gave the Avs a 3-2 lead after Thompson scored for a 2-2 tie.
“It’s a cool experience, for sure,” Thompson said after his 46th NHL game. “You grow up and you want to play in the NHL and those are little dreams you have: scoring a hat trick, winning Stanley Cups. For one of those to come true and get a hat trick, it’s a cool feeling.”
Mikko Rantanen hit for an empty-net goal for the 5-3 final.
“At some point you step back as a coach and they decide how hard to go for a puck, how hard to battle, what the standard is going to be,” Sabres head coach Don Granato said. “And you obviously work with them to elevate the standard, personal standards. I think our guys are continually progressing in that regard. But at the end of the day, it’s their team.”
The Sabres dropped to 16-26-8.
Dustin Tokarski made 31 saves in the Buffalo loss.
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