Last season, the Buffalo Sabres got the better of the Tampa Bay Lightning as they took seven of eight points against the division rival. On Wednesday night, the Lightning ensured the Sabres wouldn't have the chance to get that many points this season as they won 8-3 against Buffalo.
The Sabres tried to get off to a fast start, but the Lightning did a great job not letting them get anything in the net. Before the end of the first period, it was the Lightning that was in control as they scored two goals before the end of the first and added another two midway through the second to take a 4-0 lead.
Buffalo did their best to try and get back into this game and scored three straight to make it 4-3 but that was as close the Sabres would get. Nikita Kucherov, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, scored three straight to make it 7-3 before Brandon Hagel scored the final goal of the game to win 8-3.
The Sabres record now falls to 8-7-3, and these are four takeaways from the game on Wednesday night.
Buffalo Sabres with horrible final two minutes of first period
The Buffalo Sabres got off to a great start against the Tampa Bay Lightning as they were generating scoring chances and shots on goal, and in fact had five in the first three minutes of the game. However, it was the Lightning that left the opening period with the lead after a horrible finish to the period by the Sabres.
After five shots on goal in the first three minutes of the game, the Sabres had only four in the final 17 minutes. The Lightning were able to keep generating chances, and Scott Sabourin scored on a rebound to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.
Then, shortly after that, Josh Doan would be called for a delay of game penalty after chipping the puck over the ice. The Lightning wasted almost no time and scored about 20 seconds into the power play to take a 2-0 lead.
Josh Doan with first power-play goal of the season
While Doan had the big mistake in the first period, he did make up for it a bit in the second as he would score a power-play goal, the first of the season for him. The goal came in the second period when the Sabres needed something, as they were already down 4-0 in the game.
It was a great goal by Doan, who was right in front of the crease, and Ryan McLeod made a perfect pass. For Doan all he had to do was just had to keep his stick down and redirect it past Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The Sabres' power play has been one of the worst in the league, and this was their first power-play goal Buffalo has had in four games. Last season, Doan had nine power-play goals, and if the Sabres are going to turn this group around, Josh Doan is probably going to be a big reason why.
Buffalo Sabres score three goals in less than five minutes of ice time
With how the game had been going up to the point of Josh Doan's goal, it didn't seem like it was going to matter much, but in fact it was the start of a comeback for the Sabres. Between the end of the second period and into the third, the Sabres would score three goals in less than five minutes of ice time.
The Sabres' second goal was a great play on the rush where Jason Zucker passed it across the ice and found Noah Ostlund at the far post with about 30 seconds left in the second period. Then, less than 30 seconds into the third period, Tage Thompson would score to make it a one-goal game.
It was great to see the Sabres show some fight and try to get back into this game, but that was as close as they would get in this game.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen doesn't make the one save the Buffalo Sabres needed most
One of the reasons the Sabres didn't get any closer was that Nikita Kucherov scored on a backhand shot less than a minute after Thompson's goal to push the lead back to two goals. It was a save that the Buffalo Sabres desperately needed, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen just let it go under his arm.
Right after that goal, Lindy Ruff wasted no time making a switch in net and putting Colten Ellis into the game. Luukkonen finished the game allowing five goals on only 14 shots. This was Luukkonen's 12th start this season, and he has now allowed four or more goals in six of them.
It appears that Alex Lyon is close to returning from his shoulder injury, and it will be interesting to see what the rotation looks like in net once Lyon is back.
The Buffalo Sabres end a four-game homestand losing three of their four games and will be looking to change their fortunes during the upcoming six-game road trip with their first game on Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
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