Buffalo Sabres overcome a tumultuous start to down the Stars
The Buffalo Sabres looked like they had sand in their skates over the game’s first 10 minutes, but they got it together for a big win in Dallas.
Just two days ago, I said the Buffalo Sabres need to stop playing to their competition. Let me rephrase that: The Sabres only need to stop playing to their competition against lesser-talented teams.
Against some of the NHL’s best, they can play to their competition all they want, because as it stands, the Sabres have beaten the best team in the Eastern Conference (Bruins) and now, the team that is currently the best in the Western Conference (Stars). Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
And this was a game where they easily could have found themselves down by four goals within the opening frame’s first 10 minutes, they were playing so poorly. Fortunately, 41-year-old Craig Anderson once again showed that he still has some tread left on the tires and single-handedly kept the Blue and Gold in this one.
Buffalo Sabres overcome a miserable start in Dallas
Finally, Rasmus Dahlin ended the tribulations, scoring midway through the first for his 14th on the season. After a scoreless second period, the Sabres took a 2-1 lead when Victor Olofsson found twine for his 22nd on the year.
The Sabres looked like they were getting sloppy again as the third frame dragged on, and it showed on Jason Robertson’s goal in the third period when four from Buffalo tried to win the battle along the boards, only for Joe Pavelski to snag the puck and locate Robertson.
The Sabres looked as though they were giving the middle of the ice back to the Stars later in the frame, yet Anderson came up with a few more remarkable saves in what was his 700th NHL game, his effort earning him First Star honors for the evening.
Buffalo did enough to send the game into overtime where Owen Power made some music before downing his first goal of the year at the best possible moment. The win gave the Sabres 51 points on the season and as it stands, they’re just three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card spot.
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Up next are the St. Louis Blues, a team the Blue and Gold manhandled earlier this season. Can they make it two in a row? We’ll find out tomorrow night.
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