Sabres’ winless streak hits 4 with shutout in Dallas

DALLAS – A third-period push came up empty for the Buffalo Sabres, who lost 2-0 to the Dallas Stars on Saturday at American Airlines Center.

Twelve of the Sabres’ 23 total shots came in the final period as they looked for a tying goal, but they once again couldn’t get one past Jake Oettinger, the Dallas goalie who shut Buffalo out for the second time this season.

“I thought we started to win some battles – the biggest thing. We won some 50/50s. … The desperation in the faceoff circle was greater,” coach Lindy Ruff said of the third period. “We’ve just got to bury – we had four or five point-blank opportunities. You’ve got to score.”

The Stars are one of the league’s top defensive teams by most metrics, and they looked the part through 40 minutes. Buffalo managed just 11 shots, nine scoring chances and, per Stathletes, 1.08 expected goals between the first and second periods, with the only real threat coming on a Peyton Krebs and Zach Benson 2-on-1 rush.

Alex Lyon, making his second straight start off injured reserve, kept things scoreless until Dallas finally broke through with 3:37 remaining in the second. A point shot redirected off the post behind Lyon, and Jamie Benn buried the rebound into the empty net.

“I felt like they just had the puck the whole time, to be honest. We didn’t really have it,” Jack Quinn said. “They possess it really well, they’re big, they hold onto pucks, they don’t really give it back to you.”

Then, in the third, the Sabres had plenty of zone time and scoring opportunities. Noah Östlund got behind the defense on an early-period power play and saw his point-blank one-timer turned aside by Oettinger. Quinn found Benson alone next to the net with time to make a play, but Oettinger padded away the backdoor pass attempt. Quinn and Tage Thompson both teed off from the dots during an extended 4-on-3 power play.

The comeback push was interrupted by Buffalo penalties with 5:06 and 1:21 remaining – the latter saw Benson barrel into Oettinger behind the net and resulted in a Wyatt Johnston insurance goal.

“You can’t take it,” Ruff said. “It’s a stupid penalty at a time of the game where we had them in their end, we’re 6-on-5 and we’re going to get a couple looks.”

“A lot of looks tonight, especially me in the third,” said Quinn, who attempted a game-high nine shots. “Couldn’t solve [Oettinger], so definitely frustrating when you don’t score. And Lyno plays that well for you, you’d like to get him one, for sure.”

Lyon wasn’t sure how things would go in his return from an upper-body injury, but he’s felt good and has kept the Sabres in both games he’s started. On Saturday, he stopped 28 of 30 Stars shots and saved 1.90 goals above expected.

Despite the boost he’s provided in net, the Sabres (8-8-4) now find themselves in a season-worst four-game winless streak and six points behind a playoff spot. It could get late quickly if Buffalo doesn’t turn things around soon.

“It’s difficult. Can’t [BS] the position we’re in, to be honest with you,” Lyon said. “Kind of feels like we’re on a precipice a little bit. Every team goes through these times throughout the course of the season, and good teams, mentally strong teams, find a way through it, these tough times.

“I think from my experience, the only way forward is everybody has to focus on bringing their best for 60 minutes – whatever that looks like, whatever that takes – and that’s the only thing you can focus on. It’s going to be difficult when you’re not feeling your best. It sucks, but that’s just the only way through it.”

Postgame sound

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The Sabres head to Philadelphia for Tuesday’s 7 p.m. game against the Flyers. MSG’s pregame coverage starts at 6:30.