In Vancouver, the visiting Buffalo Sabres showed some heart and resilience in the third period of their match with the Canucks.
Zemgus Girgensons scored midway through the third to get the Sabres to a 4-5 deficit and Marcus Johansson knotted the game at 5-5 to force extra time.
Those goals got the Sabres a loser’s point as the Canucks recovered in the extra session on a goal by JT Miller, his 13th,m to send the Canucks to a 6-5 win.
“I don’t think we blew a lead, that’s not really the word I would use,” Miller said. “It’s not like they were dominating. They just got a couple of looks on breakdowns and scored. We weren’t pouting.”
Thatcher Demko made 23 saves in the win.
Kyle Okposo had a goal for the Sabres in his return to the lineup after missing 10 games.
“The first period we didn’t really like some of our defensive decisions, we weren’t solving the pressure they put on us, but in the second period we found a way past the pressure and dominated,” Buffalo coach Ralph Krueger said.
Antoine Roussel and Josh Leivo struck for two goals each in the win.
“We played a pretty good 5-on-5 game,” Leivo said. “That’s a good team with a lot of skill. They capitalized on their opportunities. We’re just happy to sneak away with two points.”
Tyler Myers scored a single marker for the Canucks.
“I play with two good players (Adam Gaudette and Jake Virtanen) who just find a way to get it to the net,” Roussel said. “I just go there and pick up the garbage. It’s pretty cool to be able to put some away already.”
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Carter Hutton made 24 saves in the loss.
“We get a point out of it, but I don’t know how to explain right now, it’s tough,” Hutton said. “It feels like I’m swimming out there a bit.”
Hutton is 0-5-4 in his last nine starts and this may be the first one where he had offensive support.
“Honestly, it’s tough to put into words right now,” Hutton said. “It wears on me for sure.”