Sabres slip up in taking 2nd straight OT loss
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Miles Wood scored at 2:53 into overtime after getting the tying goal in the third period to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 comeback victory on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center, snapping the Sabres' home win streak at four games.
Josh Dunne poked in his first NHL goal to give Buffalo a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod also scored, Alex Tuch had two assists, and Alex Lyon made 35 saves for the Sabres.
Losing in overtime for the second game in a row, the Sabres (4-4-2) have a .500 record after the first 10 games. Buffalo also held a 3-2 lead in the third period of Saturday's loss at Toronto.
“We’re starting to trend in that right direction,” Doan said. “I think we got to learn how to defend leads at the end of games because that’s a position that we as a group expect to be in late throughout the year.”
Wood, the son of former Sabres forward Randy Wood who was born in Buffalo, tipped in the tying goal with 6:05 left in regulation before getting behind Sabres defender Owen Power to score his second career overtime goal.
The Sabres had a prime chance early in overtime when Jiri Kulich got stopped on a breakaway by Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (35 saves).
“I think if Kulich scores in overtime, we’re probably not even talking about what happened; we got the breakaway right away,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “Failed on the 3-on-3 coverage. We’ve got to be better at that. We know it.”
Dunne, a fourth-line winger appearing in his 20th NHL game and fourth of the season after getting called up from the Rochester Americans, scored on a scramble in front of the net at 2:40 into the third period.
"It was great work by my linemates; they’ve been awesome for me since I’ve been with them,” Dunne said. “They were working hard, won their battles, got the puck to the point, and then I got to the net and the puck was just laying there. Right place, right time, and it was a good bounce, for sure.”
Michael Kesselring, the defenseman acquired with Doan in the offseason trade that sent JJ Peterka to Utah, made his Sabres debut after missing the first nine games with a lower-body injury.
“Liked his game,” Ruff said. “I thought he started a little bit slow, but I thought really got his legs moving, moved the puck well, breakout passes. (Will) take a look when I go through it, but I thought for the most part, he skated well and executed well.”
Up next
Still seeking its first road victory of the season, Buffalo plays at Boston on Thursday night before hosting Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
