Storylines
1. About last game
The Sabres erased a pair of one-goal deficits in what was a tightly contested game against the Utah Hockey Club. Beck Malenstyn’s potential go-ahead goal in the second period was overturned following a challenge for goaltender interference.
Instead, Utah earned its third lead of the game on a goal from Dylan Guenther with 5:47 remaining and pulled away late with a pair of empty-net goals. The first of those goals came off an errant pass by the Sabres during a delayed penalty.
Read more in Thursday's Postgame Report.
JJ Peterka scored a power-play goal in his return from a three-game absence and Ryan McLeod scored shorthanded to extend his point streak to five games. Reimer made 27 saves.
2. Scouting the Wild
Minnesota earned a 1-0 victory in Buffalo on Nov. 27 behind a goal from Kirill Kaprizov and a 39-save shutout from goaltender Filip Gustavsson.
The Wild have lately had to make do without Kaprizov, who’s been out since Jan. 26 with a lower-body injury. Kaprizov ranks fifth in the NHL with an average of 1.41 points per game and remains tied for the Wild lead with 23 goals despite his extended absence.
Minnesota remains firmly in playoff position in spite of Kaprizov’s absence, thanks in part to an ability to score early and protect leads. The Wild have scored the first goal in an NHL-high 40 games this season and are 26-0-0 when leading after two periods.
Matt Boldy leads the Wild with 58 points and is tied with Kaprizov with 23 goals. Gustavsson is coming off a 34-save shutout against Seattle on Wednesday, improving to 5-2-1 with a .939 save percentage in March.
