While the third period was filled with playoff-type intensity, the first period wasn't. It's true that the Lightning generated a handful of early scoring chances on Carter Hutton, who was only starting because Linus Ullmark sustained a minor injury during the morning skate. But as a whole, the period didn't contain any flow. Shot totals for both teams in the period were on the high side - 17-15 in favor of the Sabres. But other than those early looks for the Lightning, not many of those shots were dangerous. Both clubs defended hard in front of their net and kept the opposition shots from the perimeter. There were a lot of routine saves and plenty of whistles. The teams took 25 faceoffs in the first period alone (in contrast, there were just 32 faceoffs for the entire rest of the game, including overtime). The Sabres did get on the board when one of those perimeter shots - an attempt from Rasmus Dahlin - hit off Ryan McDonagh and deflected in the Lightning net.
In the second period, play opened up (there were only 10 total faceoffs in the second) and both teams created dangerous chances off the rush. The Sabres' best offensive stretch in the game came in the opening 10 minutes of the second. They applied consistent pressure and created a handful of good looks, but the best of those didn't result in a shot on net. Instead, attempts from Casey Mittelstadt, Sam Reinhart and Jeff Skinner all missed the net. The complexion of the period - and the game - changed with a costly Buffalo turnover just past the halfway point of the frame. Zach Bogosian got open in the slot and was ready for a potential shot, but the pass to him was off-target and ricocheted back towards the Lightning blue line. Kucherov and Tyler Johnson countered on a two-on-one and tied the game. Johnson delivered a perfect saucer pass over Dahlin's stick to Kucherov, who one-timed the puck into the net. It was his 30th goal and league-leading 100th point.
From that point on, the Lightning had an edge in play. They posted more shots and generated more scoring chances. Hutton continued his wonderful netminding to keep the Lightning at one goal. He also got help from the post on three separate occasions. As the clock wound down and the score remained tied, the game got more intense, and, as mentioned earlier, more physical. Both teams had to kill two separate penalties in the third, but they did so successfully and emphatically, often applying up-ice pressure despite being down a man. The third also featured Ristolainen's big hit on Kucherov along the boards and the Point-Skinner scuffle. In overtime, Ristolainen again tried to rough up Kucherov - this time after a whistle - and Kucherov stood up for himself by jumping up and grabbing Ristolainen. Already fully engaged in the game, Kucherov seemed to find even more juice after those altercations with Ristolainen. He finished with his aforementioned 30th goal, eight shots, 15 shot attempts and ended up sealing the win with a tally in the shootout's third round.
Credit to the Sabres for playing a desperate game. They looked like a team battling to get into the playoffs. But the Lightning responded to that challenge. They delivered another terrific defensive performance - one that included four strong penalty kills - and, if not for Hutton, easily could have won the game prior to the shootout.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Phil Esposito):
1. Andrei Vasilevskiy - Lightning. 29 saves.
2. Carter Hutton - Sabres. 39 saves.
3. Erik Cernak - Lightning.
