Sabres unable to solve Canucks goaltender Demko in shutout loss

The Buffalo Sabres generated 56 shot attempts but were unable to put one behind goaltender Thatcher Demko, who made 26 saves to earn his NHL-leading fourth shutout of the season and lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 1-0 victory inside KeyBank Center on Saturday.

The Sabres limited the Canucks – the NHL’s highest-scoring team – to 23 shots despite having to play a stretch of the game with just three defensemen after Mattias Samuelsson and Rasmus Dahlin left to enter concussion protocol and Erik Johnson was given a five-minute penalty for fighting J.T. Miller.

Samuelsson, who was elbowed in the head by Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek on the opening shift of the second period, did not return. Dahlin was elbowed in the head by Miller later in the period and missed the next 11 minutes but returned to the game.

Hronek did not receive a penalty for the hit on Samuelsson. Miller was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing Dahlin, but it was offset by a roughing minor given to Owen Power for his response to the hit.

Johnson fought Miller midway through the second period, leaving the Sabres with Power, Connor Clifton, and Ryan Johnson as their three available defensemen while Erik Johnson served his fighting penalty. Zemgus Girgensons played multiple shifts on defense until Dahlin returned.

“It’s not nice having two guys in concussion protocol for getting hit in the head, that’s for sure, and there was no power play out of it, obviously,” Granato said. “It’s frustrating but I thought Zemgus stepped up.”

Dahlin lauded Power and the rest of his teamamtes for their response to the hit from Miller.

“All these guys, we’re brothers in here,” he said. “I would do the same if it happened to someone else.”

Even with a shorthanded defense corps, the Sabres managed to limit chances for a Canucks team that had scored four or more goals in each of their last four games. Vancouver’s lone goal came early in the second period when Sam Lafferty fought his way to the blue paint and buried a rebound.

Buffalo’s own chances either hit posts or were stopped by Demko, whose night included a highlight-reel save on the power play against Casey Mittelstadt. Alex Tuch had slid a pass across the Vancouver net to Mittelstadt, but Demko went post to post to make the stop.

“I think I would have liked to have one-timed it,” Mittelstadt said. “I just couldn’t see it that well going through the defenseman. I still thought I got it off really quick and up. I think probably nine times out of 10, that goes in. Obviously I’m going to have to go back and watch it tonight. But yeah, that one stung. I’m out there to make plays and I’ve got to put that one in.”

Dylan Cozens sent a one-timer off the crossbar during the third period.

“A few posts, a few crossbars, a couple saves that I feel like goalies normally don’t make,” Mittelstadt said. “We’re right there. I think we’re on the right track. It’s just a matter of we’ve got to get hot soon and get going.”

The Sabres entered the night having won three of their last four games, coming off a 5-3 victory over Ottawa on Thursday. They have three contests remaining on their six-game homestand.

“We did a nice job of limiting them, nice job to play hard, had chances to win,” Granato said. “But nobody’s going to be satisfied with that. I can assure you that our group is not. And obviously I’m not.”

Here’s more from the loss to Vancouver.

1. Tage Thompson was in the lineup after missing practice on Friday due to an injury. He skated 18:32 had six shot attempts, including three shots on goal.

2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started in goal for the second straight game and made 22 saves.

Up next

The homestand continues Monday afternoon against the San Jose Sharks. The start time for the game has been changed to 12 p.m. due to the rescheduled Buffalo Bills playoff game.

Tickets are available here.

Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at 11:30 a.m. Radio coverage can be found on WWKB 1520 AM.