At the Horn | Stars 2 - Sabres 1

The Buffalo Sabres matched their season high with 48 shots but were only able to put one behind goaltender Jake Oettinger in a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars inside KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Oettinger, who was starting for the first time since representing Dallas at the All-Star Game last weekend, made a season-high 47 saves. He was 8-for-8 on high-danger save attempts (according to Natural Stat Trick).

Matt Duchene and Sam Steel scored goals for the Stars, who led 2-1 after two periods. Oettinger made 16 saves during the third, including an attempt from Casey Mittelstadt with 9.8 seconds remaining.

Tage Thompson scored the lone goal for the Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves.

SCORING SUMMARY

Period 1, 3:58 (PP) – Matt Duchene from Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment (1-0, DAL)

The Stars opened the scoring on their second shot of the night, a wrister from Duchene on the power play that deflected off Erik Johnson as the defenseman dropped in an attempt to block it.  

The Sabres finished the period leading 16-8 in shots and 29-16 in shot attempts.

Period 2, 5:53 (PP) – Tage Thompson from Rasmus Dahlin and Jeff Skinner (1-1)

Thompson evened the score with a one-timer from the left circle that went in over Oettinger’s shoulder on Buffalo’s first power play of the game.

Period 2, 9:04 – Sam Steel from Radek Faksa and Craig Smith (2-1, DAL)

The Sabres once again finished a period with a dominant shot advantage – this time leading 15-4 – but trailed after Steel scored on the rush. The play began with a high shot from Smith that hit Luukkonen and fell to the ice in front of Faksa, who banked a shot in off Steel’s skate.

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS

UP NEXT

The homestand continues Saturday afternoon against the St. Louis Blues. The first 5,000 kids in attendance will receive a Sabretooth pillowcase in celebration of the mascot’s birthday.

Tickets are available here.

The game will be nationally televised on ABC beginning at 1 p.m. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio call on WGR 550.