20171208-lehner-recap

CHICAGO - Well after Gustav Forsling scored in overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks had celebrated their victory, a dejected Jack Eichel remained in full uniform, seated at his stall in the visiting dressing room at United Center. The Buffalo Sabres had let multiple opportunities to earn a win slip away, and the look on Eichel's face told the story.
The Sabres had the game in their hands when they entered the third period with a one-goal lead, at which point Eichel felt the team sat back. It was in their hands when, in spite of being heavily outshot, they maintained that lead until being awarded a power play with 4:35 remaining in regulation.
Then, even after the Sabres allowed the shorthanded goal from Tommy Wingels that tied the game and eventually forced overtime, they had the game in their hands once again when Eichel was awarded a penalty shot in overtime.

Instead, the night ended with Forsling scoring on Chicago's 51st shot of the night, clinching a 3-2 victory for the Blackhawks and leaving Eichel to have to describe his frustrations.
"We sit back when we have leads and I thought we did it today too," Eichel said. "We're all guilty of it. We didn't go after them. We're all happy with just getting the puck out of our zone instead of trying to make it hard on them. We would get it out, change, and then they would come at us with speed.
" … It's frustrating. We've been in this situation before and we've given up the lead. This is a game we needed to get two points in and we didn't. Yeah, we need to be better than that. I get a chance to win the game in overtime, I don't do it. Yeah, I need to score that goal. Yeah, this sucks. It feels like s---."

The Sabres were outshot 51-28 on the night, while the Blackhawks finished with a 95-41 advantage in shot attempts. Even so, the Sabres were able to build a 2-1 lead after two periods thanks to goals from Jason Pominville and Kyle Okposo and stellar goaltending from Robin Lehner.
Sabres coach Phil Housley said the lopsided totals had less to do with what Chicago did than Buffalo's own lack of execution. The Sabres expected a strong start from a skilled Chicago team that had gone winless in its last five games, and thus the game plan was to keep things simple.
"When we did get the puck in, we gave it to [Blackhawks goalie Corey] Crawford," Housley said. "And then we turned it over way too many times. Even on the rush we're turning pucks over and it's coming right back at us. We talked about their rush game, they love to feed off transition, and we didn't manage that very well."
Even with the lack of execution, the Sabres played physical and defended hard. That, combined with the effort in goal from Lehner, was enough to carry a one-goal lead deep into the third period. When Benoit Pouliot drew an interference call to give the Sabres a power play with 4:35 remaining, it felt like a goal could end it.
Instead, the Sabres had six men on the ice as blown coverage led to Wingels' tip-in goal. It was the eighth shorthanded goal allowed by the Sabres this season.
"It's not winning hockey," Pominville said. "You get a [power play] with a little over four minutes left, you want to make sure you kill the clock. If anything just move it around and if you don't get much at least you don't give up anything. We gave up a goal and we see the result."
The Sabres survived the final minutes of regulation, thanks in part to good fortune and in part to Lehner. In overtime, Eichel was able to find a burst of energy at the end of a long shift and drive end-to-end past the Chicago defense, drawing a holding call against Forsling as he approached the net.
Eichel was awarded a penalty shot with a chance to win the game, but his five-hole attempt was stifled by Crawford.
"The ice isn't too good here so I came in wanting to shoot it," he said. "I was hearing different things from what type of goalie he was, what he gives up. I thought I saw his legs open. I probably second guessed myself a little bit. It's frustrating. It's more than frustrating."
What was equally frustrating was the result for Lehner, who took the loss despite making 48 saves. Even on Forsling's overtime winner, Lehner was screened by Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and never had a chance to see the puck.
Eichel called Lehner the best player on the ice, for either team, and both he and Pominville admitted the team needed to be better for their goaltender.
"I felt good today," Lehner said. "I've been feeling good lately. It's tough when we're not getting wins. I work hard in practice to try to improve my game and I think everyone is. That's all that matters right now."

Pommer snaps the drought

The Sabres had gone 10 games entering Friday night without scoring a power-play goal, having gone 0-for-29 in that span. They showed a glimpse of turning the corner in Colorado on Tuesday, when they moved the puck well and combined for nine shots on three opportunities.
They were finally able to put their drought behind them when Pominville scored in the first period. Eichel deked past Brandon Saad at the top of the zone, drove low and fed Pominville for a tap-in goal, his eighth of the season.

"I think right away we lost the draw but we have jump and get the puck back," Pominville said. "Eichs made a nice move on the blue line and we were able to get a tip. It's a good play overall."

Okposo nets his fourth

The Sabres gained their 2-1 lead on Okposo's goal with nine minutes remaining in the second period, the product of a strong forecheck by Evan Rodrigues and a heads-up feed from Scott Wilson. Rodrigues won a puck battle against Patrick Kane along the wall and passed to behind the net to Wilson, who found Okposo in the high slot.

The assists for Rodrigues and Wilson marked both players' first points of the season, as well as Wilson's first as a Sabre.

Up next

The Sabres conclude their three-game road trip against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night. Coverage on MSG-B begins at 6:30 p.m. with GMC Gamenight. You can also listen live on WGR 550, with puck set for just after 7.