Tokarski posts shutout as Sabres rebound with OT win in Calgary

CALGARY - Dustin Tokarski conceded the significance of having family inside Scotiabank Saddledome, a small band of supporters in No. 31 jerseys who made the trek from his hometown Saskatoon.
Beyond that, the goaltender deflected any attention regarding his second NHL shutout like it was another of the 24 shots he faced from the Calgary Flames on Friday.
"It just came down to the team effort tonight," Tokarski said. "The goose egg kind of goes to the team with how they played tonight."

The moment was not lost on the Sabres' dressing room, which blared Taylor Swift's "Fearless" and chanted their goaltender's nickname, "Ticker," following their 1-0 victory.

It was, to Tokarski's point, a true team effort from a group that had lost 6-1 in Edmonton on Thursday. Sabres coach Don Granato felt his team appeared emotionally drained in that loss Oilers, which came on the heels of significant wins over the Golden Knights and Maple Leafs.
The Sabres heeded their coach's direction and focused on getting back to work against a Flames team that was 15-1-1 inside their raucous home arena since mid-January. They battled long enough for Tage Thompson to pounce on a misplay by goaltender Jacob Markstrom and net the winning goal in overtime.
"Last night might have been the worst game of the year and tonight was right up there with one of the top games," Granato said.
The win would not have been possible without Tokarski, who etched another milestone in his Sabres tenure. The 32-year-old had gone three seasons without an NHL game when he made his debut with Buffalo in March of last year. He earned a spot on the team with a strong camp this fall.
His performance against the Flames came nearly eight years to the day since his first shutout, a 29-save effort in Buffalo as a member of Montreal. He had played for 12 different teams, in the NHL and AHL, in the meantime.
The signature moment occurred during the second period, when Tokarski faced Andrew Mangiapane streaking down the left side on a rush. Tokarski went out to challenge Mangiapane, but the Flames' leading goal scorer opted instead to pass through the middle to Calle Jarnkrok.
Tokarski lunged to his left and snagged Jarnkrok's attempt like a shortstop laying out for a line drive.

"At first, I thought they scored and didn't hear anything, so I had to check the replay," Thompson said. "That was incredible. Not surprised, though. He makes stops like that on everyone in practice, so we know he's capable of those big saves and he pulled out a few tonight."
Tokarski shrugged when asked to describe the save.
"I was behind and kind of off-balance, so I just dove over there and tried to get what I could," he said. "Fortunately, I made a save."
Tokarski had to be at his best to match Markstrom, the NHL's shutout leader with nine this season. The Sabres were particularly dangerous during the second period, when Rasmus Asplund, Mattias Samuelsson, and Dylan Cozens all generated grade-A chances from in tight. Markstrom stopped them all.
The Sabres' goaltender answered first with his save on Jarnkrok, then with a loud pad save on an odd-man rush during the third period. He broke up the Flames' lone rush attempt in an overtime period that was otherwise played entirely in the Calgary end.
Buffalo finally got its break when Markstrom swatted at a long pass from Henri Jokiharju. Thompson, driving hard toward the net, took the puck off the goalie's stick and deposited it into an open net.

"There was a little hiccup by their goalie, but you've got to be in the right spots and work hard to get those breaks," Tokarski said.
It's no matter of fortune, then, that Tokarski was in the right spot when his number was called.

Sabres recapture momentum

Thompson said the team took the loss in Edmonton personally. It responded with an effort that was more reminiscent of its previous two wins over Vegas and Toronto.
"This is our group," he said. "Everyone believes in each other and wants to work and compete for each other. It's a really nice feeling when you have a game like last night when we all know wasn't our best and we all collectively take it to heart and want to turn it around.
"You've seen that multiple times this season. We're starting to be a little more consistent as of late, I think, and that's a good feeling. Everyone comes to the rink excited, willing to battle and work. When you have that, we have a hungry group. Right now, we're playing some good hockey and it's a lot of fun."

Up next

The road trip concludes Sunday in Vancouver. Coverage on MSG begins at 9:30 p.m. The puck drops at 10.