Thompson's 3-point performance lifts Sabres over Senators

OTTAWA – Following the team’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato emphasized the need for the group to go to the net with conviction and determination.

The Sabres did just that on Tuesday, displaying a strong net-front presence to close out their first back-to-back set of the season with a 6-4 win over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.

“It was a great effort. Very pleased with the game itself overall, but emotions got high late. I thought our guys fought very hard for each other and that was awesome to see,” Granato said. “I thought the effort was outstanding by us and the determination for a win was there.”

The young group’s willingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice was rewarded as Buffalo had 11 different players find the scoresheet and four of the team’s six goals resulted from deflections or bounces in front of the net.

It was a different story from Monday’s game, which saw the Sabres outshoot the Canadiens 37-27 but only find the back of the net once.

“Last night we doubled their shots. It wasn’t like we played this horrendous game. We didn’t capitalize on our opportunities, and they did,” Alex Tuch said. “I thought the commitment today was a lot better and it’s a back-to-back with a little travel. It’s not easy, it’s a bit of a grind. But when you stick to the game plan and just come in and try to outwork your opponent, you’re going to have a lot of success in this league.”

Tage Thompson led the way for the Sabres with a pair of goals and an assist for his first multi-point game of the season while Jeff Skinner added a pair of goals of his own.

Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 34 saves in net in his season debut.

Skinner opened the scoring 8:06 in when Casey Mittelstadt intercepted a pass in the Sabres’ zone to give Tuch and Skinner a 2-on-1 opportunity. Tuch made a no-look pass to Skinner, who buried the shot from the left circle for his fourth of the season and first of the game.

Zemgus Girgensons extended the lead with 8:40 remaining in the period as he tipped in Connor Clifton’s shot from the point. The primary assist gave Clifton his first point as a member of the Sabres.

“I think once we established O-zone, I think the focus was just get to the net, get bodies to the net. I think we committed to that for a full 60,” Thompson said.

Skinner added his second tally early in the second period by bouncing the puck off Anton Forsberg’s pad to put the Sabres up 3-0 before Jacob Chychrun got Ottawa on the board with 6:46 remaining. A Travis Hamonic shot from the point deflected off the crossbar and onto the stick of Chychrun, who caught Luukkonen out of position and put it in the open net.

While the momentum shifted in favor of the Senators, the Sabres were able to respond quickly with goals from Tuch and Thompson to give Buffalo a four-goal lead heading into the intermission.

“It was a big response. I think the last two games we maybe got chasing the game a little bit and I think tonight we get an early lead and you get them chasing it,” Thompson said. “I think our bench is pretty positive. We don’t get too high, we don’t get too low, so I think that’s something we need moving forward. I think the result tonight was a big factor of that.”

Ottawa was able to spark a comeback late in the third after Vladimir Tarasenko scored with 4:25 remaining.

Tensions were high as a fight between Tuch and Brady Tkachuck broke out and then another scrum less than 30 seconds later when Tarasenko bumped into Kyle Okposo. Dylan Cozens came to his defense, receiving a double minor and a 10-minute misconduct.

“Love the response,” Granato said. “Guys sticking up for each other, guys battling for each other. I had to calm quite a few guys down, which is a good thing. I’d rather calm the guys down and that was the case tonight. I thought that was a little bit of what we needed as well.”

The Senators added two more goals just 20 seconds apart to bring themselves within one goal with 1:02 to go.

Girgensons took a tripping penalty with 36 seconds left but Thompson spoiled Ottawa’s comeback, capping off a three-point night with a shorthanded, empty-net goal from behind his own blue line.

“I’m sure there’s more to come out of him,” Granato said about Thompson. “And I’ve been saying that he’s doing the right things. He’s obviously putting in the effort. Two games he made 10 shots in them. So, he’s doing the right things. It’s inevitable when you have that type of skill.”

Here are more notes from Tuesday’s win in Ottawa.

1. Luukkonen made 16 of his 34 saves in the third as the Senators outshot the Sabres 19-6 in the period and scored three goals in a span of just over three minutes to bring themselves within one goal with 1:02 to go.

Despite the chaos and physicality in the final minutes, Luukkonen felt calm and comfortable in his first game action since his last preseason start on Oct. 4 in Columbus.

“That’s not an easy thing to do. All three of our goalies – they battle extremely hard. They work extremely hard in practice and compete against each other,” Thompson said. “For Upie to step in like that to a game where there’s a lot of chances traded back and forth, I think he made a lot of big saves and gave us a sense of calm.”

“I felt great. I think the team played well in front of me,” Luukkonen said following the game. “You know, it’s a back-to-back for them so I feel like they did really, really well. Even though there were shots, I think they were boxing out and fighting to get in front of pucks too. So, I felt comfortable, but I thought the team played really well.”

2. Craig Anderson signed a one-day contract with Ottawa so he could officially retire as a Senator. Prior to the game, the former Sabres goaltender and current hockey liaison was honored with a special retirement video and dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff between Luukkonen and Forsberg.

3. Skinner extended his scoring streak to three games with his two goals. The forward now has a team-high five goals through the first seven games of the season.

Rasmus Dahlin and Cozens also extended their point streaks with one assist each versus the Senators, matching the longest point streaks of their careers. Cozens has recorded at least a point in five consecutive games (2+4) while Dahlin has tallied seven points (0+7) in six consecutive games.

4. The Sabres went 4-for-5 on the penalty kill, improving to 24-for-27 on the season.

5. Zach Benson returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing the past two games with a lower-body injury. The 18-year-old recorded two assists and four shots in Buffalo’s first four games of the season.

Up Next

The Sabres will return home for practice Thursday at KeyBank Center before traveling to New Jersey to take on the Devils on Friday at the Prudential Center.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on MSG and WGR 550. Pregame coverage on MSG will kick off at 6:30 p.m.