The Tampa Bay Lightning win the special teams battle and ultimately the game by a score of 5-2 against the Buffalo Sabres. They now lead the season series, 3-0.
The rough night started 13 seconds into the game as Nikita Kucherov had a golden opportunity in the slot and with a screen in front of Carter Hutton, and he placed it perfectly.
Buffalo was able to bounce back as the top line of Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Victor Oloffson connect for a goal within four minutes of the opening frame. Sam Reinhart would net his 9th goal of the season.
Sam Reinhart off the rebound! 🚨
We're tied up, 1-1! #Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/kSOk32d5Sq
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 26, 2019
Jack Eichel continued his hot season and is the first Sabres player to score 30 points in 24 games or fewer since Thomas Vanek in 2012-13.
Jimmy Vesey finally got his first goal of the season just under 2 minutes into the 2nd period with a solo effort to give the Sabres a 2-1 lead.
JIMMY VESEY SCORES!!! 🙌
His first goal as a member of the Sabres puts us up 2-1! #Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/7dPjlw2lU3
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 26, 2019
It was all downhill after that as Tampa would tie the game 7:20 into the 2nd with a power-play goal from Mikhail Sergachev that got through traffic from the point. Even with four power-play opportunities, this was Tampa’s only goal with the man advantage.
The Lightning would take the lead just two minutes after with a perfectly tipped shot that Yanni Gourde was able to connect with. It was his 3rd game-winner against Buffalo this season.
With a power-play opportunity late in the 2nd, Buffalo was putting some solid pressure on until Rasmus Dahlin was blatantly elbowed by Erik Cernak in the slot. While this looked to be an obvious call as Dahlin went down to the ice and would not return, there was no penalty called.
Here's the broadcast view of the Cernak elbow to Dahlin's face. pic.twitter.com/bEi79n5dN2
— Ben Mathewson (@Ben_Mathewson) November 26, 2019
This would’ve given Buffalo a two-man advantage with about 1:40 left on the original penalty.
The 3rd period was a disaster as Buffalo gave up two shorthanded goals on the same power play eight and nine minutes into the period by Cedric Paquette and Ondrej Palat.
Tampa would score again not too long after, but the goal was called back as Cirelli bumped into Hutton’s pad before the puck crossed the goal line.
The rest of the game was a wrap as Buffalo failed to put any real pressure on the Lightning.
Buffalo has tomorrow off as they prepare to host the Calgary Flames Wednesday night at 7 pm at KeyBank Center.