Sabres Comeback To Edge Bruins In OT Thriller

Despite blowing two leads in the game to the Boston Bruins, the Buffalo Sabres were able to come back late in the third to tie it, and finish them off in overtime by a final score of 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Matt D’Agostini netted the game winner for Buffalo just 22 second into the extra frame but not before Matt Moulson tied it up with only 53 seconds to play in the third.

Jhonas Enroth earned the win for the Sabres, stopping 29 of 33 shots, and making several key saves throughout the night.

“We have been instilling an attitude of team-first,” Ted Nolan exclaimed. “Glad to see the team come together for the win.”

Coming off a clutch 3-2 win on Monday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Sabres (17-34-18) started off hot against the Bruins (37-6-5) getting on the board first. At 3:32 into the game, Brian Flynn found Zemgus Girgensons in the slot who redirected a quick wrist shot past Chad Johnson for his sixth goal of the season. Jamie McBain also assisted on the goal.

Buffalo was not able to hold off Boston’s attack for very long, allowing them to score at 10:47 into the first period. After a long stint in the Sabres’ zone, Chris Kelly finally put one away with a wrist shot for his fifth goal of the season. Kelly received a backhand pass from Carl Soderberg and fired a shot over the left shoulder of Jhonas Enroth to tie the game.

The Sabres came out strong in the second period and regained the lead on the powerplay at 6:25. Cody Hodgson blasted a slap shot off the boards behind the Bruins’ net that ricochet to Tyler Myers. Johnson was not able to get back into position before Myers buried a shot into the open net for his seventh goal of the season. Christian Ehrhoff was also credited with an assist on the play.

Buffalo extended their lead later in the period at 9:10. On an offensive rush, Ville Leino made a pass to Brian Flynn breaking through the slot, and despite a bouncing puck, Flynn was able to put a good shot on it to get it past Johnson. The goal marked Flynn’s second point of the night and his fifth goal of the season.

The Bruins answered back shortly after on the powerplay to bring the score within one. In the midst of a scramble in the Sabres’ crease, Enroth was not able to ice the puck before Zdeno Chara got his stick in to poke it past the Sabres’ netminder at 11:01 in the second.

Boston was able to tie it up later on the same period after John Scott misplayed the puck in his own zone and turned it over. At 17:46, Reilly Smith found Brad Marchand who roofed it past Enroth for his twentieth goal of the season.

The third period was all Boston as the Sabres struggled to generate offense. Matt Moulson took a costly 4 minute high-sticking penalty that allowed the Bruins to score the go-ahead goal. Boston took their first lead of the night on the powerplay at 9:43 in the third. After heavy offensive pressure in the Sabres’ zone, Milan Lucic finally fired home a shot from the point to put his team ahead. Tory Krug and David Krejci both assisted on the play.

It looked like the Bruins would be going home with the victory, but with just under a minute to play the Sabres were able to tie it up on a garbage goal in the crease. Matt Moulson found the loose puck and stuffed it past Johnson at 19:07 to force overtime.

Buffalo carried the momentum into overtime, and got the game-winner on the stick of Matt D’Agostini. An errant pass got away from a Bruins’ defenseman, and D’Agostini made an outstanding individual effort to win a race down the ice and put a great backhand move on Johnson for his fourth goal of the season.

The Sabres look to continue their success at home against the San Jose Sharks on Friday.