Sabres unable to adjust during loss to Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS - Kyle Okposo was surrounded by three defenders as he swatted at a loose puck in the blue paint on Sunday, unknowingly sending the puck over the goal line in the process.
Okposo's goal - confirmed only after a video review - cut the Sabres' deficit to 5-3 against the Columbus Blue Jackets with 32 seconds to play in the second period at Nationwide Arena. It also stood as an example to follow on a night when the Sabres did not have their best.
"Okie's probably the easiest visual to look and see, he knows how to play fatigued," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "He's a very intelligent, experienced player. He knew when, efficiently [to say], 'OK, I'm going to have a surge.'
"… That's the difference. He knows how to pick the right spots even though he might not have his legs. That was where his experience shows in a game like today."

Granato cited learning how to adjust to fatigue as the overarching lesson from the Sabres' 7-3 loss to the Blue Jackets. It was the second of back-to-back games for the Sabres, coming on the heels of a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at home on Saturday.
The Sabres weathered a first-period push by the Blue Jackets - which included the opening goal from defenseman Dean Kukan - and pulled ahead with goals from Mark Pysyk and Tage Thompson. Thompson's goal, scored with 2:46 remaining in the period, came on the Sabres' second shot.
The Blue Jackets answered just 10 seconds later with a score from Boone Jenner, the first of four straight goals that tilted the game decidedly in their favor.
"We just didn't adjust to not feeling your game and you have to do that," Granato said. "That's probably your biggest growth component to nights like this, is you can't try to play your same game you played a night ago when you're battling fatigue.
"You've got to play smarter and more efficient and we didn't adjust to that."

Kukan buried a slap shot from the point to put the Blue Jackets ahead early in the second period. Jenner forced a turnover to initiate the sequence that led to a Zach Werenski goal, which was followed by a breakaway goal from Brendan Gaunce.
Craig Anderson faced 31 shots during the first 40 minutes.
"I think our defensive habits were poor - to put it kindly - tonight," Okposo said. "We didn't help 41 at all back there. We didn't help Andy at all. That summed up the game right there. We just weren't good defensively, we were swinging everywhere. Our attention to detail was not good. And that's where we lost the game."
The Sabres outshot the Blue Jackets, 18-7, during the third period but were unable to trim the deficit. Gustav Nyquist scored an empty-net goal during the final minute and Justin Danforth added one last goal with four seconds to play.
"This year we knew it was going to be up and down, but that's one that's not acceptable," Okposo said. "It's not like we didn't work hard. We were playing hard. We just were mentally not where we need to be to play that game."

Dahlin scratched due to injury

Rasmus Dahlin did not play due to a lower-body injury he sustained against the Avalanche on Saturday. Dahlin played the whole game against the Avalanche but woke up sore, Granato said.
Jacob Bryson took Dahlin's place on a defense pair alongside Henri Jokiharju in Dahlin's absence. Jokiharju was elevated to the top power-play unit.

Thompson hits another milestone

Thompson recorded his first NHL hat trick against Colorado on Saturday. He reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career as an encore.
The goal was similar in nature to the three Thompson scored against the Avalanche - a hard, quick shot form the middle of the offensive zone.

Thompson has 22 points (10+12) in his last 20 games.

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Up next

The Sabres visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Coverage on MSG begins at 7 p.m. The puck drops at 7:30.