In Buffalo, Jack Eichel extended his point streak to 18 games and the Sabres defeated the Los Angeles Kings, 3-2, to end their point streak at six games.
“In the first period, I think it took me a little bit to get into it,” Eichel said. “But I think I got more into the game as it went on and started to feel better. I had some chances. I thought we started moving our feet, competing better in the second period. I think that’s when we turned the tide of the game.”
Rasmus Ristolainen had a goal in Sabres win – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Linus Ullmark made 25 saves in the win.
Adrian Kempe and Dustin Brown scored for LA.
“Effort was there, a pretty evenly played game, could’ve went to either side,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Both teams hit a few posts. … So at the end of the night we come out on the short end, but not disappointed in the effort or what was put into the game.”
The Kings had been 4-0-2 coming into the game.
“I thought we could have had the lead after the first,” Doughty said. “We had some early chances and then they kind of took over after the first five minutes of the second period. They outplayed us, I thought, and then we didn’t start playing until maybe the last five, 10 minutes of the third, and that’s why we lost.”
On the other side, the Sabres snapped a three-game skid.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Marco Scandella and Victor Olofsson were Sabre rattlers in the win.
“I think the pace they were playing and the way they were pressuring us, they weren’t able to maintain that by the look of it, and we really came alive and started moving the puck quicker,” Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger said. “We started skating more. I thought it was a truer sign of where we’re going as a team. With that goal against, you can go [down] or you can go [up] and you could just feel everybody raise the game after the goal against.”
[WATCH: All Kings vs. Sabres highlights]
Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in the loss.
“I think this game was there for the taking,” Doughty said. “I didn’t like our effort in the second period again. We got points in every game except for one (on six-game road trip) so that’s really positive but I would have liked to have seen two points in a couple of the other games and I would have liked to have seen two points tonight. It’s a little bit frustrating.”
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