Sabres wrap season-long road trip with victory in Calgary

CALGARY – The Buffalo Sabres were focused on playing a simple, detailed game when they entered the third period tied with the Calgary Flames inside Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday.

The Sabres had been in a similar situation Thursday, tied 3-3 entering the third period before the Edmonton Oilers scored five goals during the final 20 minutes.

“We had a game in Edmonton where we were going into the third tied and kind of let that one slip away and get away from us,” Tage Thompson said. “In a similar situation tonight, it was a good opportunity for us to respond and clean up the mistakes we made last [game]. I thought we did a great job of that.”

Thompson assisted on JJ Peterka’s go-ahead goal with 8:56 remaining and then added an empty-net goal of his own in what ended as a 4-1 victory for the Sabres in the finale of their season-long, five-game road trip.

The win brought the Sabres within six points of the Washington Capitals for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with 10 games remaining. The Sabres and Capitals have two head-to-head matchups in Buffalo on April 2 and 11.

Thompson emphasized the importance of staying in the moment in the meantime. The Sabres open a five-game homestand against Ottawa on Wednesday.

“Can’t look too far ahead,” Thompson said. “I think in order to get there, we’ve got to take care of the next game. So, we have a short-term mindset too, a short memory. Obviously, the loss in Edmonton, we [couldn’t] dwell on that and did a great job responding tonight. Obviously with this win, it feels good, but we’ve got to make sure we’re ready on the puck drop for our next game as well.”

The Sabres earned the win in Calgary by responding quickly to the mistakes that cost them late in Edmonton, when coach Don Granato felt they strayed from the habits that have made them a top-four team in the league in terms of average goals allowed since the beginning of January.

Peyton Krebs opened the scoring for the Sabres just 4:53 into the contest, but the Flames responded with a second period that saw them generate a 28-17 edge in shot attempts and tie the game on a power-play goal from Jonathan Huberdeau.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned away nine of the 10 shots he faced during the middle period, including a breakaway attempt by Martin Pospisil that came less than three minutes after Huberdeau’s goal. Luukkonen finished the night with 32 saves.

“I think we played the way we wanted to off the hop,” Krebs said. “In the second, we kind of lost it a little bit, I think. [We] cleaned up our details in the third and JJ got that nice goal.”

Peterka’s goal was a product of simplicity, fueled by two players who have been consistent presences for the Sabres throughout their road trip. Granato had lauded the work ethic of Thompson and Alex Tuch during his press conference Sunday morning, comments they vindicated with their forecheck that led to the game-winner.

Thompson initiated the play by dumping the puck into the offensive zone and chasing it to the end boards alongside Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. Daniil Miromanov skated to the other side of the net as an outlet for Weegar, but Tuch met him there to force a turnover and free the puck back to Thompson.

Thompson skated the puck to the front of the net and passed to Peterka, who was alone in the slot for his third goal in the last two games.

“I thought they had a great game and we needed them to have a great game,” Granato said regarding the line of Peterka, Thompson, and Tuch.

Thompson scored into the empty net with 45 seconds remaining. Connor Clifton added a second empty-net goal with less than two seconds on the clock.

“We knew we were sloppy the other night in Edmonton,” Granato said. “I think everybody in that locker room knew it, that we didn’t protect Upie the way we know how to and we got careless in the end. So, we needed redemption to play the right way through 60 minutes and I thought we did that in obviously a very challenging game.”

Here’s more from the win in Calgary.

1. Thompson and Tuch both extended their point streaks to five games on the winning goal. Thompson has three goals and four assists in that span; Tuch has one goal and six assists.

Thompson credited their production to a commitment to taking what’s given and outworking their opponents, a mindset the team embraced in the third period on Sunday.

“I think that’s where we’ve been getting a lot of our offense is just forcing their D to make mistakes,” Thompson said. “We haven’t really gotten much off the rush and that’s fine. I think when we try to force stuff on the rush that’s kind of when we get ourselves into trouble.

“So, I think we’ve just been trying to make sure all four lines are playing simple and making good puck decisions and that will lead to offense in-zone and possession.”

2. Krebs grew up a half hour south of Calgary in Okotoks, Alberta. He had his family and friends in attendance for his third NHL game at the Saddledome, including a group of No. 19 jerseys that crowded around the Sabres’ end during warmups.

The 23-year-old gave them something to cheer for early. Krebs received a pass from Lukas Rousek in the neutral zone, skated it into the left circle and buried a shot to the far side for his third goal of the season.

“It’s just nice to score in general whether I’m here or anywhere, for sure,” he said. “But yeah, obviously with my family here, it’s special. Having some really close people here that have been through a lot, to score for them is special.”

3. Rousek’s assist gave him points in consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career. The 24-year-old also had an assist in Edmonton on Thursday.

4. Tyson Jost participated in an optional skate Sunday morning but was not in the lineup after receiving a maintenance day on Saturday. Eric Robinson joined the lineup in his absence and skated 11:50.

5. Rasmus Dahlin left for the dressing room and did not play the final 3:42 after he crouched to block a shot and was hit in the ear by the puck. Granato said the defenseman was OK after the game.

“He’s going to take a few stitches, but he’s good,” Granato said.

Up next

The Sabres host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday to open a five-game homestand. Tickets are available here.

Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7. Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.