5 takeaways | Rieder, Skinner score in loss to Devils

Less than 24 hours removed from a shutout loss on home ice, the Buffalo Sabres asserted themselves early in their game against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Saturday.
The Sabres outshot the Devils, 10-3, through the first 13 minutes, playing with an energy that Brandon Montour said was a response to Monday's 6-0 loss to the Washington Capitals.
"Last night, I think everybody in the hockey world kind of saw that as an embarrassment," Montour said. "Us as players, we don't want to come out that way and have those results.
"This was another night we wanted to scratch that one, be positive as best we can and focus on tonight, and I think the energy level was there. In the end, still a loss."

Buffalo was unable to capitalize on its early opportunities in what ended as a 3-2 loss, extending the team's winless streak to 12 games (0-10-2).
"It was an excellent effort," coach Ralph Krueger said. "But we're not rewarded for effort, we're rewarded for results."
Here are five takeaways from the game.

1. Devils open the scoring

A first period that had been tilted in favor of the Sabres ended with the Devils earning the first goal of the game.
A neutral zone turnover led to an unsuccessful 2-on-1 rush for the Devils, but play continued in the Sabres' zone until Yegor Sharangovich buried a bouncing puck between the pads of goaltender Jonas Johansson.
"Opportunity was there," Krueger said. "We didn't take it in the first period when it was there to get a lead."

2. Sabres fight back, but squander lead

The Sabres were able to erase the one-goal deficit and pull ahead, 2-1, when Tobias Rieder and Jeff Skinner scored goals just 57 seconds apart during the second period.
It was all the offense they would generate. Sami Vatanen tied the game on a shot from the point later in the period and Miles Wood tipped a shot from the point on the power play for what stood as the game winner at 4:52 of the third.
"Throughout our past couple games, there's always been parts where we're just trying to make the pretty plays and getting away from getting pucks behind their D and working them in their zone," Rieder said. "We're trying to make plays on the blue line and we turn it over. I feel like we have parts of that in every game and we've got to get that out of our game."

3. Struggles continue on special teams

In addition to allowing Wood's power-play goal, the Sabres were unsuccessful on two opportunities with the extra man. They are 0-for-17 on the power play over the past 11 games.

4. Lineup notes

The Sabres juggled their lines as they continue to look for the right combinations without centermen Jack Eichel and Dylan Cozens, both of whom remained out with upper-body injuries.
Rieder skated on a line with Eric Staal and Sam Reinhart. Taylor Hall and Riley Sheahan were joined by Tage Thompson, while Victor Olofsson skated alongside Cody Eakin and Kyle Okposo.
Henri Jokiharju and Brandon Davidson joined the lineup on defense, stepping in for Matt Irwin and Jacob Bryson. Jokiharju skated 16:06 and was on the ice for both Sabres goals. Davidson skated 16:46 and was credited with a team-high four hits.

5. Up next

The Sabres return home for a two-game set with the Boston Bruins that begins Thursday. It will be Hockey Fights Cancer Night at KeyBank Center, with more than 700 frontline workers and guests of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center set to be in attendance.
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. Puck drop is scheduled for 7.