For the final time in the 2014-15 season, the Buffalo Sabres opposed the Philadelphia Flyers. Buffalo would not go down with out a fight against the Flyers this season.
After a back-and-forth game, the Sabres were able to avoid a sweep of the season series.
Buffalo would come out of the chute and would not waste any time taking an early lead.
Just 4:41 into the first, Nicolas Deslauriers would put a bouncing puck past Ray Emery, for his 5th goal of the season. Deslauriers’ goal, assisted by Flynn and Ristolainen, would put Buffalo up 1-0.
Unfortunately for the Buffalo Sabres, their lead did not last very long.
Ryan White, at 7:23 of the first, put home his first goal of the season to tie the score at one. This was White’s first goal since February 8, 2014.
After the first period, the game was tied at one as both teams looked to find their game.
Buffalo would start out the second period, the same way the began the game.
What started off as a normal shot on goal, turned into something much more.
Ray Emery made a routine save, but gave up a juicy rebound in the process. Fortunate for the Sabres, Brian Gionta was crashing the net, grabbed the puck, and deposited it past Emery.
Gionta’s 6th goal of the season, just 38 seconds into the period, put Buffalo up 2-1.
With this goal, Brian Gionta became the 49th American-born player in NHL history to score 500 points in a career. Also, with an assist on Gionta’s goal, Torrey Mitchell recorded his 100th career point.
Gionta becomes the first player since Miroslav Satan, in 2004, to score his 500th point with the franchise.
As the period progressed, Philadelphia seemed to regain momentum.
Things would come to a head after Zemgus Girgensons took a penalty for interference.
A little over a minute into the man-advantage, Jakub Voracek would make Girgensons and the Sabres pay for the transgression.
Voracek’s 14th of the season, on the power play, would tie this game up for a second time.
The second would progress, without scoring, but with a fair share of scrums. Both teams on the ice were showing little love for one another.
Heading into the third period, things remained tied at 2.
Throughout the bulk of the third period, Buffalo and Philadelphia continued to exchange scoring opportunities but to no avail.
While these scoring chances were taking place, we saw the intensity almost boil over a few times between both teams.
Late in the third period, Zemgus Girgensons appeared to have scored the go-ahead goal, but that was disproved as soon as the referees took a look. Girgensons clearly threw the puck into the net after being checked hard in front of the net.
Due to the inability to score a third goal, this game would head to overtime.
Would you believe that trend continued in overtime? Well, it sure did. A winner would needed to be decided in a shootout.
It would be Brian Flynn who would put home the shootout-clincher in the first round of sudden death, giving the Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 victory.
With this win, the Sabres move to 17-37-4 on the year with 38 points.
The Buffalo Sabres take the ice again tomorrow night, when they host the New York Rangers. Puck drops shortly after 7 PM, and the game will be broadcast on MSG.