In Buffalo, the Sabres scored three times in the third period to double up the Anaheim Ducks, 6-3 on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams entered the third tired, 3-3.
Victor Olofsson hit for a double to start the final frame, and Peyton Krebs added his second of a pair of goals for the 6-3 final.
“I feel like I had a great start, obviously (scored nine goals in his first 11 games this season), and that helped me a lot,” Olofsson said. “Then I had a small dip, and I feel like these last 10 games we’ve been really clicking as a line, too, with [Casey Mittelstadt] and [Tyson Jost]. I feel like we’re just feeding off each other, and they’re feeding me with great passes.”
The Sabres improved to 23-19-3.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 34 saves in the Buffalo win.
“I thought ‘Upie’ had to be really good consistently when there was a quick lapse,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “[The Ducks] executed well on some, when we gave up time and space, they executed, and that is going to happen through the course of a game. But I thought ‘Upie’ was really good, even after the third went in, which is not an easy situation for him. Now it’s tied 3-3, there’s mounting pressure on the goalie, but I give our guys lots of credit. I felt we were fresh. … Could we have been a little sharper and smarter at times? Absolutely. But obviously glad our guys looked rested.”
Trevor Zegras struck for a pair of goals for the Ducks.
“Just mental mistakes,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. “It’s a game that we’re totally in, we battle back. Two of their goals the third period, one’s a bad change, which is totally mental, has nothing to do with anything else. A turnover in the neutral zone turns into a breakaway where we had a very easy play the other way, and those are the things that kills us. Absolutely kill us. And we’re a team, an obviously rebuilding team, that we have to play a perfect game to be in the game, that’s just the way it is where we’re at as an organization. Those mental mistakes can’t happen.”
Anaheim dropped to 13-29-5.
Buffalo took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Dylan Cozens, and Jeff Skinner off the power play.
Zegras tied the game, 2-2, with his double in the middle frame..
“His play is greatly improving always,” Eakins said. “He’s obviously an offensive threat all the time, he’s gotten much better defensively and managing the puck, and his growth continues.”
Krebs restored the lead, 3-2, but Simon Benoit tied the game, 3-3, headed to the third.
“I think what I’ve learned is, when you pass through the shot, the passes open up more and when you shoot more, the passes tend to open up more,” Krebs said. “I’m just trying to, if the shot’s there, definitely make it because I have [Zemgus Girgensons] and [Kyle Okposo] going to the net. And when the pass is there, make one.”
John Gibson made 33 saves in the loss.
“I think the first two goals we kind of, I don’t want to say gave to them, but I guess kicked ourselves in the rear end a little bit,” Zegras said. “I feel like that’s what we’ve been doing lately, coming from behind, so I wasn’t surprised that we got it tied up. Obviously, the third period, they came out with some good jam, made a couple of good plays.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.