‘A bit of a track meet’ | Sabres play Ducks’ game for 60 minutes, lose in OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Buffalo Sabres raced back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to take the lead, but the Anaheim Ducks mounted a comeback of their own and earned a 6-5 overtime win on Sunday at Honda Center.

Anaheim’s Mikael Granlund tied it with 1:44 remaining on a 6-on-4 power play, and Troy Terry scored the 3-on-3 winner on a breakaway. So, the Sabres fly home having gone 3-0-1 on their Pacific road trip and 12-1-1 overall since the Olympic break.

“Obviously, this game puts a little sour taste in your mouth, but I think coming here, if you’d asked us if we’d be happy with seven out of eight points, I think we’d all say yes,” reflected Owen Power, who had a goal and an assist in the overtime loss.

Buffalo had allowed one goal in Vegas, San Jose and Los Angeles combined, but Sunday’s game was played at the Ducks’ pace. That is, fast and without much defense, a different style from what the Sabres do best.

Alex Tuch opened the scoring early for Buffalo, but the Ducks responded with a pair of goals on the power play. Five minutes later, Noah Ostlund raced into the zone and passed across to Josh Doan for the tying tally.

That open ice continued into the second period, but only Anaheim managed to capitalize, with Beckett Sennecke (early) and Terry (late) driving toward the net and beating Alex Lyon. The Sabres, meanwhile, hit two posts and just missed on some other great scoring chances, so they trailed 4-2 after 40 minutes.

“Obviously, we don’t want to be trading chances,” said Tage Thompson. “We’ve done a really good job limiting [the opponent’s] Grade-A’s, and tonight was a bit of a track meet.”

It's not their preference, but the Sabres can hold their own in a track meet, as evidenced by their third-period push. Jack Quinn and Owen Power scored to tie it, and between their goals, Lyon denied Anaheim’s Chris Kreider and Jansen Harkins on breakaways to hold the deficit at 4-3.

“I told the team, ‘We’re going with all-out pressure, and I know we’re going to give them some opportunities,’” coach Lindy Ruff said. “I just said to [Lyon] in between periods, ‘You’re going to have to make some saves for us.’ And he did. He stood tall.”

Buffalo’s fourth line went to work after the Power goal, and Zach Benson scored the go-ahead tally just 1:32 later. But a neutral-zone tripping penalty sent Anaheim to the power play where Granlund tied it again.

That topsy-turvy third period made for the sour (or maybe bittersweet) ending to the trip that Power referenced, but the Sabres have brushed off some tough losses in recent months and expect to do the same now.

“It’s been a difficult road trip; I think we’ve had four in six here,” Lyon said. “For sure, excited to get home. Got a long flight tonight, and just got to regroup, flush it, move forward and just try to be a little bit better.”

Here’s more from Anaheim.

Lyon’s streak ends

Lyon had last lost a road game Nov. 8 in Carolina, winning 10 straight road decisions since then. His streak, one win shy of the NHL record, ended with a 27-save effort in Anaheim.

“Maybe it wasn’t his best night, but he’s a reason, making those saves, we got a point at the end of the day,” Ruff said, citing those third-period breakaways.

Six goals allowed marks a new season high for Lyon, who gave the talented, young and likely playoff-bound Ducks their due.

“I was extremely impressed with their offensive capability,” he said. “It took me by surprise, to be honest, how good their offensive game was. Not that we took them for granted, by any means, but we don’t see them very often. … As always, just wish you could make another save or two and be five, 10 percent sharper for the boys.”

A lot has changed since Nov. 8, when the 5-6-4 Sabres sat in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Now, at 44-20-7, they’re one point behind Carolina for the conference lead and four points clear of Tampa Bay for first in the Atlantic Division. And their .902 team save percentage, mostly from Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, ranks third in the NHL.

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Subpar special teams

Buffalo’s power play went 0-for-3, while its penalty kill allowed three goals on four opportunities.

“Definitely makes it a little tougher battle, especially (because) playing 5-on-5, I thought we controlled most of the game,” Thompson said. “Special teams just kind of gave them life tonight.”

The Sabres’ sixth-ranked penalty kill hadn’t allowed three goals in a game all season, and they hadn’t allowed two since the Jan. 15 win over Montreal.

Postgame sound

Up next

The Sabres return to KeyBank Center for a four-game homestand, beginning Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against the Boston Bruins. It’s a national broadcast on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.

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