Ullmark helps Sabres handle Devils

NEWARK, N.J. --Linus Ullmark made 41 saves to help the Buffalo Sabres defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 at Prudential Center on Tuesday.

"Guys were helping me out a lot, keeping the opponent on the outside, letting me have some easy saves," Ullmark said. "As soon as you kind of get into the groove, it just kind of takes over and you don't really think about it."
Ullmark made a fourth straight start. He made 20 saves in a 3-2 loss at the New York Islanders on Monday.
"It was just a gut feel that [Ullmark] was in a good space and this was a really important game for us today," Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said. "It was a playoff feel coming into this game today ... the meetings this morning, this afternoon, everybody was really edgy and focused."
Buffalo (6-8-2) is 2-4-0 since returning Feb. 15 from a pause related to COVID-19, with both wins against New Jersey. The Sabres host the Devils on Thursday to finish the home-and-home set.

Nikita Gusev scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves for New Jersey (6-6-2), which has lost three straight and is 2-3-0 since returning to action Feb. 16 after a pause because of NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"We've just got to keep working, believe in our plan," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "We missed some great opportunities. Nico [Hischier] had a breakaway in the second period (with 18 seconds left). I think we've got to finish on those opportunities. We've got to concentrate on what's made us effective to this point and just keep pushing forward."

Victor Olofsson scored his sixth power-play goal of the season on a slap shot from the right face-off circle to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 10:20 of the second period.
"We just kept it simple," Olofsson said. "The bodies were a little bit tired, but we kept it smart. [Ullmark] saved us a lot of times. He played a really good game. It was a solid performance overall."
Ullmark made 20 saves in the third period, including a diving stop at the left post after losing his stick against Gusev with 36 seconds remaining. His shutout ended when Gusev scored with 28 seconds left.
"Even if I wanted to tell you how it all happened (late in the third period), I don't really know myself because I was basically going back and forth, trying to keep the puck out," Ullmark said.

Rasmus Asplund and Dylan Cozens scored for Buffalo in a span of 1:34 in the third period. Asplund batted the puck of the air to make it 2-0 at 5:16, and Cozens scored on a backhand off Taylor Hall's pass from behind the net for a 3-0 lead at 6:50.
"Obviously, [Ullmark] had a good game, but I think we made his night easy," Hischier said. "If you look at the game, he saw too many shots, and that's when you give the goalie some confidence. The next game, we've got to make sure that we get in front of the net and take his eyes away."
Gusev scored on a snap shot from the left face-off circle to cut it to 3-1. Cody Eakin scored into an empty net with one second left for the 4-1 final.
"We're just happy the team responded to that kind of pressure we put on them today, and [Ullmark] led the way," Krueger said. "He looked like a real leader today and a top-rate NHL goalie in a game that really mattered to us."
NOTES: The Sabres learned before the game defenseman Will Borgen will be out 6-8 weeks after having surgery to repair a fracture in his right forearm Tuesday. They were also without defensemen Jake McCabe, who will miss the rest of the season because of injuries to his right knee, and Rasmus Ristolainen, who was removed from the COVID-19 protocol list Feb. 16 and is working his way back into shape after testing positive Feb. 2. ... Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson was plus-2 and played 17:59 in his NHL debut. ... Buffalo forward Jeff Skinner, who has no goals in 14 games this season, was a healthy scratch for a second straight game.