DETROIT – Kyle Okposo understood why anyone would make the comparison.
The Buffalo Sabres blew another lead in the third period Wednesday night in Little Caesars Arena. This time, they allowed three consecutive goals in a span of 5:40.
“I think you can see more and more confidence every week or every day,” Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson said of his defense partner, Dahlin.
The Sabres’ reckless, mistake-filled final 20 minutes of regulation allowed the Detroit Red Wings to roar back from a three-goal deficit, send the game to overtime and earn a point in the Atlantic Division standings when their goaltending should have made it impossible to do so.
And while Jack Quinn salvaged this game for the Sabres with his highlight-reel shootout winner to earn Buffalo a 5-4 victory over the Red Wings, it was the second time in three days that coach Don Granato watched from the bench as his players struggled to close out a game.
Remember, the Sabres allowed two goals in the final 5:25 of the third period and lost in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday in KeyBank Center. Okposo, the Sabres’ captain, didn’t see similarities between the two, though.
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Buffalo was the far better team for all but six minutes against Tampa Bay. The Lightning's superstar talent and precise power play took advantage of the Sabres' brief stretch of bad play. A loss at home made it worse, Okposo said.
This latest blown lead was on the road. The Red Wings forechecked their way back into the game.
“You take each game individually,” Okposo said. “Monday was tough because it was our building and we just took our foot off the gas after we scored two. We played a good game the whole way through. This game, a three-goal lead is becoming a very difficult lead, especially when you’re on the road. They scored that second one and you could feel the crowd get into it. …
"Yeah, you don’t like giving up three-goal leads, but you have to take a positive out of this one that we got two points and we won the game.”
Okposo has been in the NHL long enough to know that pushing the panic button is counterproductive, especially when you’re on the youngest team in the NHL. Style points aren’t given. All that matters is earning two points for the standings, which the Sabres accomplished with the help of Dylan Cozens’ two-goal performance Wednesday night.
Craig Anderson delivered 40 saves to earn his fifth win of the season. Despite blowing a third-period lead in consecutive games, the Sabres (10-12-1) have won three of their last five since snapping an eight-game skid in Montreal last week. But they finished November with a 4-9-1 record and sit seventh in the eight-team Atlantic Division.
The Sabres were unhappy with the flying elbow to the head of goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen by Tampa Bay star Nikita Kucherov late in the third period of Monday's 6-5 loss.
That doesn't change the fact that this is a concerning trend. It can't continue if this team wants to play meaningful games in January, let alone near the trade deadline and beyond. The Sabres didn’t fall apart in the third period Wednesday against a recent Stanley Cup champion like the Lightning.
The Red Wings (11-6-5) are also young and relatively inexperienced in important spots. Their starting goalie Wednesday, Alex Nedeljkovic, allowed two soft goals against Buffalo and hadn’t started a game in three weeks because of poor performance.
Rather than criticizing his players’ mistakes, Granato clung to the Sabres’ finish. He lauded his penalty kill, which finished 7-for-7 after three kills in the final 5:25 of regulation. They didn’t allow a goal when the Red Wings had a 5-on-3 for 1:26 late in the third period. Granato also boasted about their poise in overtime and the ongoing development of Buffalo’s youngest line, led by Cozens.
“I think every single team in the league is going to lose leads in the third period,” Granato said. “For me, it’s going to happen. We’re gonna have to, obviously, learn from it, but the other team is always surging. I think the number of penalty kills was tough tonight. …
"Overall, heck, it’s going to happen. I like the response. To go through it, we went through it the other day, and we were better under pressure tonight. So, it showed marked improvement in that situation. Again, unfortunately, for every team in the league, you’re going to give up leads.”
There is a harsh bottom line that fans and players alike agree on: The Sabres are supposed to be better than this. Probably not a playoff team but they're not supposed to be seventh out of eight teams in the Atlantic Division, writes Mike Harrington.
Surprisingly, the Sabres entered Wednesday with a plus-7 goal differential in the third period of games this season, and they improved to 7-0 when leading at the second intermission. But there’s no question they’re still struggling to manage the game in important situations.
The Sabres push to keep scoring. Instead of chipping the puck in and forechecking, they try to create off the rush. Bad passes lead to turnovers and long, exhausting shifts in the defensive zone. A new approach is needed in the third.
The Red Wings clawed back into this game with hard, direct hockey. It’s the same method they used to jump out to an early lead when Jonatan Berggren made it 1-0 for Detroit only 1:20 in. Shoddy goaltending let the Sabres take over, though.
First, Cozens delivered the Sabres’ fourth shorthanded goal of the season when he chipped the puck past Berggren in the neutral zone and skated past winger Lucas Raymond before firing a shot that leaked through goalie Alex Nedjelkovic. Then, Buffalo took the 2-1 lead when Mattias Samuelsson’s shot from the right circle leaked past Nedjelkovic at 8:25 into the first period.
Cozens added his second goal of the game in the second period on a shot from the high slot before Jeff Skinner helped the Sabres get some insurance with a power-play goal when the Red Wings wanted a whistle so injured defenseman Moritz Seider could be treated after blocking a shot.
With the Buffalo Sabres clinging to a one-goal lead, Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov tied the score with 2:02 left in regulation to send the game to overtime, and Steven Stamkos scored the game winner to send the Sabres to a 6-5 loss at KeyBank Center.
The Red Wings’ comeback began with David Perron’s shot leaking through Anderson following a Sabres turnover. Detroit’s deficit was down to one when Andrew Copp won a puck battle behind the net and sent a centering pass in front to Oskar Sundqvist.
Then, Sundqvist tied the score with a shot off a faceoff win against the Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt.
“Maybe being a little sloppy and going for free offense,” Samuelsson said. “We just have to stick to the game plan, like we did in the first 40, for the rest of the game there.”
Both teams had a chance to take the lead in the final minutes of regulation, none better than the Red Wings’ seven power-play shots on goal in the third period. But Anderson kept the score tied, delivered three saves in the shootout and Quinn’s goal completely changed the outlook for the Sabres.
An overtime or shootout loss would have likely changed the tone of the postgame comments. The Sabres remain determined to learn from another close call, but they’re also not interested in riding the emotional waves of the season.
“It’s an 82-game season and there are so many things that are going to happen in this sport,” Okposo said. “If you ride the rollercoaster, you’re going to be in trouble.”
Here are other observations from the game:
1. Keeping pace
The Sabres have a formidable top-six, with the Cozens line showing it’s a consistent threat to score. We saw it again throughout this game, most notably on Cozens’ second goal. JJ Peterka made a perfect cross-ice pass to Quinn, whose ensuing shot was stopped. Buffalo regained possession, Peterka found Cozens open and a high shot beat Nedeljkovic to make it 3-1.
Cozens is the key here. He’s protecting the puck better and using his linemates. He finished with five shots on goal, and each of the three played in overtime.
"You want your team to learn its lessons quickly, so it will be fascinating to see what the Sabres can do with an arduous schedule staring at them," writes Mike Harrington.
2. Milestone goal
Samuelsson was looking forward to this game. His billet family from his time at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, which is in nearby Plymouth, Mich., made the trip to see him play the Red Wings. A few friends and former teammates were also in attendance.
It was ideal timing for Samuelsson to score his first career NHL goal in his 64th game. A teammate grabbed the puck afterward for Samuelsson as a souvenir. The puck doesn’t go in if Nedeljkovic makes the routine save, but it was a nice play in which Samuelsson skated up the right side of the ice after receiving a breakout pass from Dahlin.
“I’m surprised that one actually went in, but I was just happy,” Samuelsson said. “It’s been a while.”
3. Lineup change
Vinnie Hinostroza was chosen by Granato to replace Rasmus Asplund on Casey Mittelstadt’s line, which had a brutal game Monday against Tampa Bay. Hinostroza, 29, had eight assists in 14 games this season entering Wednesday. He brings a direct style of play that the line has missed, Granato explained.
It didn’t make a difference. The line wasn’t good again, though Hinostroza hit the post in the second period. Mittelstadt is 8 for 37 on faceoffs over the last three games. It’s worth sitting him in favor of Peyton Krebs. Mittelstadt’s been good on the power play, but he hasn’t been at 5-on-5, and it’s clear he’s not playing with confidence. Sit him for a few games and evaluate from there.
4. Next
The Sabres host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08 p.m.
