Postgame Report | Tokarski makes 37 save in OT loss to Devils

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - Dustin Tokarski did his part to salvage a point and force overtime, but the Sabres were unable to overcome consistent pressure from the New Jersey Devils during a 2-1 loss on Saturday.
Tokarski made 37 saves for the Sabres, who were playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season.
"I saw a difference in energy," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "… Obviously, the crowd got into it and they get some adrenaline going. We fought to get back but didn't, obviously."

The Sabres fall to 3-1-1 with the loss. They opened the season with three straight victories at home before falling 4-1 to Boston on Friday, a game in which they generated a 36-26 shot advantage.

Buffalo seemed primed for another strong performance out of the gate. Dylan Cozens scored on a power play to earn a 1-0 lead 3:19 into the contest, setting the tone for a first period that saw the Sabres outshoot the Devils 13-8.
New Jersey turned the tide after a pair of penalties during the second period. Victor Olofsson was called for tripping a minute into the period. Jacob Bryson was assessed a delay of game penalty for flipping the puck over the glass just 17 seconds after the previous power play had come to an end.
The Sabres killed off both penalties and allowed just one shot on goal (a 2-on-1 stop by Tokarski on Tomas Tatar). But the Devils captured momentum shortly thereafter, outshooting the Sabres 29-12 over the final 40 minutes.
Tokarski preserved a shutout until 5:52 into the third period, when Nico Hischier buried a carom off the end boards on a power play to tie the game. Pavel Zacha scored the winning goal with 1:51 remaining in overtime, picking the far-side corner from the left faceoff circle.
"Our goalie was the freshest guy in the game, and he looked like it," Granato said. "He's a competitor, but clearly he had fresh energy and did what he should have done."

Granato credited his team for how it handled the Devils' pressure, pointing to the Sabres' ability to keep shots to the outside and limit second chances. Devils goaltender Nico Daws did his part to prevent the Sabres from increasing their 1-0 lead in his NHL debut, including breakaway stops on Drake Caggiula and Rasmus Asplund.
More than anything, Granato said the game was a lesson in how to handle back-to-back games moving forward. The Sabres have 16 back-to-back sets left on the schedule.

"Lots of signs of one team having a lot more physical energy than the other and lots to build from that game as far as what to do and how to operate in that situation," he said. "It was gaining experience from that standpoint."

Cozens capitalizes

Cozens did everything but score a goal against the Bruins on Friday. He tallied six shots, drew two penalties, and delivered a crowd-riling hit on David Pastrnak.
The second-year center was quick to capitalize against the Devils, beating Daws with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle.

Cozens finished the game with two shots in 16:51 of ice time.

Butcher's return

The game marked defenseman Will Butcher's first return to New Jersey since being acquired by the Sabres in an offseason trade with the Devils. Butcher signed with the Devils as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and played his first four seasons with the organization.
"I was laughing with Mark (Pysyk) a little bit because I was like, 'Now I've been in every away locker room,'" Butcher said. 'He was like, well you haven't been in Seattle yet.' … Yeah, it was surreal to kind of walk around."
Butcher skated 20:26 and tallied five shot attempts.

Up next

The Sabres return home to host the reigning Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning at KeyBank Center on Monday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. The puck drops at 7.