Postgame Report | Sabres earn shootout win in Detroit

DETROIT - Dylan Cozens knew exactly which move his linemate Jack Quinn would attempt with a chance to defeat the Detroit Red Wings in what had to that point been a scoreless shoutout.
Quinn drifted from the right side into the slot, shuffling the puck as he faked left and brought goalie Alex Nedeljkovic with him. Once Nedjelkovic dropped, Quinn extended his stick to his right and swung the puck behind the goaltender.
The feeling on the Sabres bench as the puck crossed the goal line, clinching a 5-4 victory, was a combination of relief and elation.
"It was a great feeling," Cozens said.
"Relief," added Mattias Samuelsson. "It's good to get two points. The third period there wasn't really like we drew it up, but we got the win on the road and that's all that matters."
The Sabres carried a 4-1 lead into the third period, only for the Red Wings to counter with a string of three goals in a span of 5:40. The Red Wings were then poised to take the lead when, with a raucous crowd, Samuelsson and Rasmus Dahlin took penalties to set up 1:26 at 5-on-3.
The Sabres buckled down to kill those penalties, improving to 7-for-7 on the night, then dominated possession in a scoreless overtime. Quinn scored the lone goal in the shootout.
It was a different result than their previous game, when the Tampa Bay Lighting erased a two-goal deficit in the third period and went on to win in overtime. Afterward, Don Granato was more focused on his team's resolve to earn the victory than the Red Wings' comeback.

"I loved the end, the way we battled," Granato said. "I mean, not by design obviously to have to kill the penalties we did. But the battle. We had two of our defensemen in the box with Dahls and Samuelsson in the box, so guys really had to step up.
"I thought it was a great atmosphere and environment, very intense environment that our guys had to find a way to win in and battle through. So, I'm excited for our guys and thought it was a big opportunity and a big moment for our young guys."

Cozens scored a pair of goals, including a shorthanded marker on Detroit's first power play of the game that erased an early 1-0 deficit. Samuelsson added his first NHL goal while Jeff Skinner scored his 11th of the season on the power play. Craig Anderson made 41 saves.
The Sabres improved to 3-1-1 in their last five games.
"That was a game we obviously didn't want to go to overtime or a shootout in," Cozens said. "We've got to find a way to hold onto that lead especially after that last game. But at the end of the day, we found a way and we got the two points. That's what matters."

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How it happened

PERIOD 1
The Sabres fell behind on a goal from Jonatan Berggren scored just 1:20 into the contest. A penalty at the 3:33 mark threatened to allow the Red Wings to build upon that lead.
Instead, the Sabres seized momentum while shorthanded on the strength of an end-to-end play from Cozens. Anderson initiated the play by rimming the puck around the glass.
The puck bounced to Cozens, who pushed it over the defensive blue line, chased it down with a step on defenseman Moritz Seider, then fended off Seider as he buried a shot from in tight.

"Just getting a kill," Cozens said when asked about his mindset entering the shift. "Obviously you want to get a kill early and you're not thinking about scoring as much as killing it. When the opportunity comes, just take it."
Samuelsson added to the lead less than five minutes later, sending a shot from the right side in off the body of goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.

"I was surprised that one actually went in," Samuelsson said. "I was just happy. It's been a while."
PERIOD 2
Cozens scored his second goal of the night 8:12 into the period. He buried a shot from the high slot after JJ Peterka corralled a long rebound, faked a shot with his eyes and sent a pass across.

Skinner hammered in a wrap-around attempt on the power play to extend the lead to 4-1 at the 10:17 mark.

The Sabres killed two penalties to carry the lead into intermission, the second of which featured a diving glove save from Anderson on a point-blank attempt by Dominik Kubalik.

PERIOD 3
David Perron scored 6:51 into the period to cut the Sabres' lead to 4-2. Oskar Sundqvist cut the deficit to one with a goal from in tight at 10:41, then scored the tying goal with a shot off an offensive-zone faceoff 1:50 later.
The Sabres had to stave off a Detroit attack in the final minutes while shorthanded. Dahlin committed a high-sticking penalty with 2:50 left and then Samuelsson took a tripping minor to put Detroit on a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:27.
Buffalo was able to kill off both penalties and send the game to overtime.
"I think guys just battled," Samuelsson said of the penalty kill. "Sometimes the systems go out the window and it's just grit and determination. I think they did that, especially that 5-on-3 at the end when Ras and I were in the box. That was huge."
OT
The Sabres controlled play for most of the overtime period and held a 2-1 edge in shots in the final five minutes.
SHOOTOUT
Lucas Raymond led off the shootout and Anderson closed up the five-hole to make the save. Then Tage Thompson was denied by the glove of Nedeljkovic
David Perron hit the post on a backhand in the top of the second round. JJ Peterka's wrist shot was denied on Buffalo's next chance.
Dylan Larkin also hit the left post to keep Detroit scoreless.
Quinn faked his shot and then deked around Nedeljkovic in the bottom of the third round to give Buffalo the extra point.

What we learned

1. Cozens picked up the puck for Samuelsson following his milestone goal, then participated in the celebration.
"The whole team was super excited for him," Cozens said. "I wish I could have been on the bench for the reaction, but I'll take the plus on the ice I guess. I was super happy for him to score that goal and it was a huge weight off his shoulders, for sure."
2. What was the reaction on the bench?
"Mostly just chirping me," Samuelsson said. "No, they were all happy for me. I was happy. It's a cool moment, something I'll remember forever."
Granato provided further context.
"Sammie's a guy that everyone in that locker room loves and as our fanbase gets to know him more they're gonna love him more," Granato said. "Quite a character, quite an incredible team guy. I told him there's lots more where that came from."

3.Cozens has seven points in his last six games.
4. Dahlin's two assists give him 26 points this season, second among NHL defensemen behind San Jose's Erik Karlsson (32). Karlsson and the Sharks visit KeyBank Center on Sunday. Tickets are on sale now.
5. With his assist on Cozens' first goal, Anderson put himself in rare company:

It was the 20th assist of his career.

Up next

The Sabres host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7. Radio coverage can be found on 1520 AM. Click here for available ticket packages.