Sabres extend point streak to 4 games with SO loss to Capitals

Don Granato felt his team had less than its best against the Washington Capitals. That they found a way to extend their point streak in spite of that was another sign of growth.
The Sabres erased an early deficit and forced overtime for the third straight contest before falling to the Capitals, 4-3 in a shootout inside KeyBank Center on Friday. They earned a point for the fourth consecutive contest (3-0-1).
"We didn't have our A-game tonight and we battled that, but we battled it the right way," Granato said. "… It was a positive sign to see. I didn't think our guys felt their game, but they figured out how to play when you're not feeling good and against a really tough team."

The contest continued a stretch of close games against playoff-caliber opponents for the Sabres, who are now 7-3-1 since March 1. Each of those games were against teams that either occupied a playoff spot or were within striking distance of gaining one.
It's an ongoing test. The Sabres face nine likely playoff teams in their next eleven games.
"This last little stretch here we've played some real good teams and teams that are in the hunt and they're big games for the other team," Jeff Skinner, who scored two goals, said. "And the good news for us is that trend's going to continue, because we've got another stretch coming up here."
Granato has seen growth in the Sabres' ability to maintain an aggressive attitude against top-tier opponents and in their composure when the score is tight.
The game against the Capitals represented a different sort of growth. The Sabres weathered an early push by the Capitals, who generated an 11-4 shot advantage during the first 20 minutes and pulled ahead midway through the period on a goal from Anthony Mantha.
Skinner buried a backhand shot from the high slot to erase the deficit before the first intermission, sending the game into a back-and-forth second period in which the teams scored two goals apiece.
Washington earned a 9-5 shot advantage during the third period, but Granato still felt his team was composed in how it handled the pressure.
"We looked comfortable, found a way to be comfortable and had to play a little smarter when we didn't have our game," Granato said. "We did that in the third period to stay in it and give us the potential have two points."

The Sabres lost a point in the shootout, when Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin scored goals to clinch a Capitals win. The fact they made it there spoke to a continued trend in the right direction.
"We've taken a lot of steps and we're definitely more confident against [good] teams," Victor Olofsson said. "I think it really shows just a confidence in every line and D pair out there. We've been very hard to play against it feels like so we're definitely on the right path."

A strong night from the Mittelstadt line

Skinner scored his second goal thanks in large part to a dominant shift from the line of Olofsson, Casey Mittelstadt, and Rasmus Asplund. The trio combined with defensemen Mattias Samuelsson and Jacob Bryson to maintain possession in the Washington zone for over a minute.
The puck was still in the offensive zone when Skinner jumped over the boards and buried a shot from the right faceoff circle.

"I think we've been doing better and better," Olofsson said. "We had a few extended shifts down in their end. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it pays off for the next line coming in. I think we did a lot of good things in the O-zone today."
The trio earned a goal of their own on their very next shift, with Olofsson and Mittelstadt stationed on opposite goal posts. Olofsson made an initial pass to Mittelstadt, then promptly buried a return feed for his 12th goal of the season.

"I knew [the pass] was coming," Olofsson said. "I mean, you always got to be ready when you're playing with Casey. It was a hell of a pass by him."
They could have had more. Mittelstadt was stopped twice by goaltender Ilya Samsonov on attempts near the net. Olofsson had a shot from the slot on an open cage but shot wide thanks to a diving block attempt from Ovechkin.
"I want that one back, for sure," he said. "I just saw Ovi coming sliding and I thought I had to put it into the far side of the net, and I just shot it wide. But I definitely got to score there."

Up next

The Sabres visit the New York Rangers on Sunday. Coverage on MSG begins at 4:30 p.m. The puck drops at 5.