The Buffalo Sabres entered this afternoon’s match up with the Washington Capitals, looking to cool league-leading goal scorer Alexander Ovechkin.
Looking back on the game, Ovechkin had zero goals on 9 shots, safe to say that the Sabres did just that.
The first period for Buffalo was a goal short of a disaster. Buffalo accounted for only 3 shots in the first twenty minutes, while Washington tallied 15 shots. While being purely dominated in all facets of the game, Buffalo left the period scoreless.
Throughout the second period, Buffalo’s game slightly improved but not enough to show on the scoresheet. For the second straight period, Washington racked up 15 shots, while Buffalo amassed 8 shots in the period.
Fortunes would change for Buffalo, when a weird shot from the sideboards was tipped past Capitals goaltender Brubauer. It was Christian Ehrhoff with the shot, Drew Stafford with just the tip. Buffalo’s first goal of the game would be tallied up as Stafford’s 4th of the season.
After the Sabres took the lead, they battened down the hatches and were able to exit the period unscathed.
Buffalo entered the third period with their first advantage of the game, but it did not last for long.
At 5:34 of the third period, Steve Ott turned the puck over right after Tyler Ennis broke his stick. This left Troy Brouwer wide open, to walk in on Ryan Miller. Brouwer let off a perfect shot, which poked over Miller’s shoulder. Brouwer’s 8th goal of the season tied the game at 1.
Following that game-tying goal, things would be quiet all the way into another shootout.
It would take a few shooters, 11 to be exact, but Steve Ott would put a puck top shelf over Philipp Brubauer’s shoulder for the game-winning shootout goal.
Buffalo’s 2-1 victory goes in the books as Ryan Miller’s 48th career shootout victory.
It will also end up in the Sabres’ history books. According to Elias, the Buffalo Sabres overcame the largest shot deficit, 33, in a win in franchise history. The old record was set against Boston on 3/21/71, at a 31 shot differential.
The Sabres now have four straight home wins, for the first time since they won five straight from 2/19 – 3/12/12. Buffalo now stands at 11-24-4, with 26 points.
The Buffalo Sabres take the ice again on New Years’ Eve in Winnipeg against the Jets. Puck drops shortly after 7 PM, with the game being broadcast on MSG.