The biggest takeaway wasn’t the final score. It was the third-period injury to Pontus Holmberg, who was checked and fell awkwardly into the boards. In a season filled with injuries, unfortunately, this was another to add to the list.
As for the game itself, the Sabres outplayed the Lightning over the first two periods to build a 3-2 lead. They held an advantage in shots, attempts, and scoring chances through 40 minutes. Their first two goals came off the rush. Their third tally occurred after an unforced icing by the Lightning led to an offensive-zone faceoff win and a deflection goal for Jason Zucker.
Twice, the Lightning tied the game. In the first period, Nikita Kucherov recorded his 400th career goal with a power-play one-timer from the right circle. Early in the second, Darren Raddysh held in a Buffalo clearing attempt at the right point and passed the puck to Brayden Point. Point set up Jake Guentzel for a left-circle shot that beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen high on the stick side. The Guentzel goal momentarily knotted the score at two before Zucker scored on the tip nearly four minutes later.
The Sabres effectively locked things down in the third period. Despite being outattempted 26-9 in the frame, they consistently cleared pucks from the defensive zone and kept pucks from dangerous areas. Luukkonen stopped all nine shots that came his way. Jack Quinn sealed the victory with an empty-netter at 18:06.
The Lightning and Sabres are now tied atop the Atlantic Division, but the Lightning still have a game in hand. They’ll make up that game tomorrow when they finish the back-to-back in Ottawa against a desperate Senators team currently clinging to the second Wildcard spot in the East.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Pat Maroon):
- Alex Tuch — Sabres. Goal.
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen — Sabres. 23 saves.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy — Lightning. 25 saves.
