Sabres Rally Falls Short in St. Louis

The Buffalo Sabres headed into St. Louis tonight, looking to end their franchise-record 11-game losing streak against the Blues.

For those hockey fans who don’t follow hockey outside of the Sabres, the Blues are currently one of the hottest teams in the NHL.

Coming into this matchup, the Blues had won back-to-back games by a 1-0 decision, the first time that has ever happened in Blues franchise history.

Throughout most of the first period, the Blues and Sabres went back and forth. The period was scoreless throughout until Mike Weber scored his first goal of the season to put the Sabres up, 1-0.

Heading into the second period, the Sabres did have a lead but the momentum was still shifting back-and-forth between the Sabres and Blues. One could say that Ryan Reeves fight versus Joe Finley was the momentum shift that the Blues were looking for.

Two minutes after Reeves clearly defeated Finley, B.J. Crombeen would score his first goal of the season to tie the game up. It was clear that the ice had begun to shift in the Blues’ favor.

Six minutes later, T.J. Oshie would take a shot that deflected off of David Perron and behind Ryan Miller. This goal would put the Blues up, 2-1.

This goal was something the Sabres were trying to avoid for a few reasons. Obviously the Sabres are struggling on the road but the Blues had not allowed a third period goal for ten consecutive games.

The Blues were all over the Sabres throughout the third period. David Backes scored his 15th goal of the year with 9:25 left in the game to put St. Louis up, 3-1.

St. Louis was cruising to another scoreless third period, until T.J Oshie hit Patrick Kaleta, drawing a cross checking and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Buffalo would pull Ryan Miller halfway through the power play, giving the Sabres a 6-on-4 advantage. This two-man advantage would all Tyler Myers to score his 4th goal of the year, pulling the Blues lead down to a goal.

With one minute left, the Sabres pulled Miller shortly after the faceoff at center ice. Buffalo attempted to get possession in the Blues zone but David Backes was able to get possession and shoot the puck down the ice for the empty-netter, his 16th goal of the season.

The Blues would go on to win this game, 4-2.

The Buffalo Sabres franchise-record road losing streak now stands at 12 games.

Buffalo looks to snap that losing streak Tuesday the 24th in New Jersey with the puck dropping at 7 PM. The game will be on MSG.

Ryan Wolfe
Ryan Wolfehttp://www.sabreshockeycentral.com
Administrator/Writer at Sabres Hockey Central.
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